Mike Friday 🇺🇸 & Henry Paul 🇨🇦 | Episode 6

Hosts Dallen Stanford & Robin MacDowell are joined by legends Mike Friday and Henry Paul for #RugbyHive Episode 6. 

Mike Friday is one of the most successful Sevens coaches of all-time. He led England to four consecutive Hong Kong 7s titles (2002-2006), placed 3rd on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in 2005 and 2nd in 2006, with Henry Paul being a standout member of that talented squad, including a Silver Medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Friday then took Kenya from 12th to 5th in the world, their best ever finish in 7s history. More recently he turned potential into podium finishes with Team USA, climbing the ladder from 13th in 2014 to Series runners-up in 2019. His side was the most consistent team on the planet in 2018/2019 playing in all 10 semi finals.

Friday will take the USA Eagles for the second time to the Olympic Games, this time it’s Japan 2021. The former England 7s captain, is also a two-time winner of the Tetley Cup with London Wasps. 

Henry Paul has done what many dream of being able to accomplish, play both rugby league and rugby union successfully. So much so that he represented New Zealand in league 24 times from 1995 to 2001, scoring 121 points and playing in two Rugby League World Cups. The following year he debuted for England in union, playing in 6 Tests from 2002 to 2004 and later the Sevens World Series.

He has played over 500 professional club matches. In league he won the Challenge Cup at Wembley in London on two occasions and has represented: Wakefield Trinity,  Wigan (147 matches, scoring 550 points and winning the Super League Grand Final), Bradford Bulls (100 matches, amassing a remarkable 960 points and winning the Super League Grand Final), Harlequins (63 matches, scoring 240 points). In union he has won the Zurich Premiership and Powergen Cup and has represented: Bath, Gloucester (116 matches, scoring 802 pints), Leeds Carnegie and Rotherham. Paul also won a Silver Medal in 7s at the 2006 Commonwealth Games for England. He has coached Russia in 7s and 15s and is the current Canadian 7s Head Coach preparing for the Olympic Games in Japan.

In today’s episode we talk about the England 7s program being cut by the RFU in 2020 ahead of the 2021 Olympics. We go down memory lane when Paul played for Friday on the Sevens World Series, as well as how he was able to represent both New Zealand and England. We delve into their coaching journeys, how their programs in USA and Canada are preparing for the Olympic Games and what it’s like coaching against each other. 

What was touring like in the early years? Why is Friday nicknamed Geyser? And why are Russians the friendliest people on earth?

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