Editor's note: This is Shalom Suniula's latest column in his series of RUGBYMag.com The USA 7s team's most-capped player will be updating readers on life in the 7s team, the players, the coaching, and notes from the IRB World Series. This column is now available to RUGBYMag.com Premier Subscribers. - AG

Reflecting on the last two weeks of rugby, I thought we made some progress as a team.

Two days following the weekend of rugby in Vegas we were right back at training, breaking down and evaluating our performance.

Some might say that's a little excessive to train right after a two-week tour. But for us, it was a perfect time to revisit errors from tour that could potentially prevent consistent execution. Addressing matters early while fresh in our minds deals with issues before bad habits creep back in leading into the back end of the HSBC Sevens World Series.

Coach Mags also touched on a lot of positives that we should be proud of. The team showed a lot of character throughout the tour, and we need to drive that home while we are in the midst of our Hong Kong/Tokyo preparations.

It was definitely good to see Blaine Scully and Andrew Durutalo get through tour and playing well after being sidelined with injuries. Both are very hard ball carriers with a wealth of rugby knowledge.

Having to start all the games on the bench this past tour has been a little frustrating. No player wants to be on the bench, but it's about how I fit into this team that's important for me right now, and I just have to keep plugging away at training. Making sure the seven, six, or three minutes that I do get on the field count, eventually hoping to get my starting position back.

I wanted to thank the supporters that turned out in numbers in Vegas. I thought the crowd and fans were fantastic throughout the weekend and really got behind team USA, pushing us every inch, which we greatly appreciate. Also, a special mention to my wife and daughter who have just relocated here to San Diego from Australia after waiting almost 11 months on their visa. With the Olympics on every rugby player’s radar being based here at the Olympic Training Center preparing in a full-time environment will certainly help my chances. Having my family here and the moral support they provide while pursuing my Olympic dream unquestionably makes playing and focusing on rugby easier.

- Shalom