Mike Friday
{{Short description|English rugby union player & coach}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Michael John Friday
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|4|25}}
| birth_place = Chichester, England
| height = {{height|m=1.73}}
| weight = {{cvt|78|kg|lb stlb}}
| relatives = Lucas Friday
| ru_position = Scrum-half
| amatyears1 =
| amatteam1 =
| years3 = 1997–2000
| years4 = 2000–2001
| years5 = 2001–2002
| clubs1 = London Wasps
| clubs2 = Blackheath FC
| clubs3 = London Wasps
| clubs4 = Harlequins
| clubs5 = London Wasps
| apps1 =
| points1 =
| superyears1 =
| super1 =
| superapps1 =
| superpoints1 =
| provinceyears1 =
| province1 =
| provinceapps1 =
| provincepoints1 =
| repyears1 =
| repteam1 =
| repcaps1 =
| reppoints1 =
| repsevensyears1 = 1998–2001
| repsevensteam1 = England 7s
| repsevenscomp1 =
| coachyears1 = 2004–2006
| coachyears2 = 2012–2013
| coachyears3 = 2014–2015
| coachyears4 = 2014–2024
| coachteams1 = England 7s
| coachteams2 = Kenya 7s
| coachteams3 = London Scottish
| coachteams4 = USA 7s
| coachteams5 = Kalinga Black Tigers
| coachyears5 = 2025-
}}
Michael John "Mike" Friday (born April 25, 1972) has been the head coach of the United States national rugby sevens team since summer 2014. Friday succeeded the previous coach, Matt Hawkins, following the 2013–14 World Series. On 30 September 2024 USA Rugby announced that Friday would be replaced by Simon Amor.{{cite web |last1=Cahill |first1=Calder |title=USA Rugby appoints Simon Amor as next Head Coach to the USA Men’s Sevens |url=https://eagles.rugby/news/usa-rugby-appoints-simon-amor-as-next-head-coach-to-the-usa-mens-sevens-2024930 |website=eagles.rugby |publisher=USA Rugby |access-date=3 November 2024}} He is the father of Lucas Friday.{{cite web |title=Lucas Friday Profile |url=https://www.quins.co.uk/profile/lucas-friday |publisher=Harlequins |access-date=3 January 2025}}
Friday had previously served as head coach for the national rugby sevens teams of England from 2004 to 2006, and Kenya from 2012 to 2013.
Playing career
Friday was born in Chichester, England. Friday played professional rugby 15s for various teams, including the London Wasps and Harlequins. He captained the England national rugby sevens team, including at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and the 2001 Rugby World Cup Sevens.[http://usarugby.org/mens-sevens-news/item/friday-appointed-men-s-eagles-sevens-head-coach "Friday appointed Men's Eagles Sevens head coach"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303231426/http://usarugby.org/mens-sevens-news/item/friday-appointed-men-s-eagles-sevens-head-coach |date=2016-03-03 }}, USA Rugby, 18 July 2014. While at Wasps he helped them win the Anglo-Welsh Cup in 1999 and 2000; he was a replacement in both finals.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/rugby_union/344901.stm |title=Wasps win Cup at last |publisher=BBC |date=16 May 1999 |accessdate=10 October 2019}}{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/rugby_union/747419.stm |title=Wasps deny Saints cup double |publisher=BBC |date=13 May 2000 |accessdate=10 October 2019}}
England (2001–2006)
Friday served for three years as assistant coach to Joe Lydon of the England national rugby sevens team.
Friday then became the head coach of the England 7s team near the end of the 2003/2004 season.{{cite web |url=http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/RFUHome.News_Detail/StoryID/12015 |title=Rugby Football Union - Mike Friday England Sevens profile |accessdate=2006-07-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061108173617/http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/RFUHome.News_Detail/StoryID/12015 |archivedate=2006-11-08}}
He resigned from the role at the end of 2006 to take up a business role in the City of London.
In June 2010 Friday announced his involvement in RuckingBall.com, an online community for the development of school-boy rugby, coaches and parents.
Kenya (2012–13)
Mike Friday was appointed as coach of the Kenya national rugby sevens team on 25 May 2012 by the Kenya Rugby Football Union.{{cite web |url=http://www.nation.co.ke |publisher=nation.co.ke |title=Daily Nation - Breaking News, Kenya, Africa, Politics, Business, Sports | HOME |accessdate=2016-09-03}} He led the Kenya 7s team to one of its best performances in Wellington New Zealand, on 2 February 2013, to the final versus England which Kenya lost 19-24 during extra time. Friday also led Kenya to a 5th-place finish in the 2013 London Sevens. Friday led the Kenyan sevens team to a series high of 99 points in the 2012–13 IRB Sevens World Series.
Friday was reportedly fired by the Director of National Squads and Elite Performance, Philip Jalang'o, barely a day after the end of the 2012–13 season. This decision was however denied by the chair of the Kenya Rugby Union Mwangi Muthee, with Philip Jalang'o losing his job as a result.
United States (2014–2024)
Friday was appointed head coach of the United States national sevens team by USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville in July 2014. Melville was Friday's coach when Friday played at London Wasps. Under Friday’s leadership, the U.S. qualified for the Olympics in 2016, 2020, and 2024.
Initially Friday concurrently retained his role as director of rugby for the England-based London Scottish professional rugby team.
As of May 14, 2015 it was announced that Friday was leaving the London Scottish role.[http://www.thisisamericanrugby.com/2015/05/mike-friday-leaving-london-scottish.html "Mike Friday Leaving London Scottish"] This is American Rugby
On 8 August 2024 USA Rugby announced that Friday had decided to step away as U.S.A. men's sevens coach.{{cite web |last1=Cahill |first1=Calder |title=Head Coach Mike Friday announces he’ll step away from the USA Men’s Sevens program |url=https://eagles.rugby/news/head-coach-mike-friday-announces-hell-step-away-from-the-usa-mens-sevens-program-202488 |website=eagle.news |publisher=USA Rugby |access-date=3 November 2024}}
Coaching results
The following table shows the results of national teams coached by Mike Friday in the World Rugby Sevens Series.
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" | ||
| Season | Team | Finish |
|---|---|---|
| 2004–05 | align=left | {{nrut7|England}} | style="background:#c96;" |3rd |
| 2005–06 | align=left | {{nrut7|England}} | style="background:Silver;" |2nd |
| 2012–13 | align=left | {{nrut7|Kenya}} | 5th |
| 2014–15 | align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} | 6th |
| 2015–16 | align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} | 6th |
| 2016–17 | align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} | 5th |
| 2017–18 | align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} | 6th |
| 2018–19 | align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} | style="background:Silver;" | 2nd |
| 2019–20 | align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} | 7th |
| 2021 | align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} | 5th |
| 2022–23 | align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} | 10th |
| 2023–24 | align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} | 8th |
Personal life
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930023714/http://www.england-rugby.com/EnglandRugby/index.cfm?fuseaction=Home.Simple_Display&storyid=12015 |title=England Sevens profile |date=mdy}}
- {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605085006/http://www.wasps.co.uk/PlayerDisplaySS.ink?skip=10&squadno=1063&season=01%2F02&seasonl=2001%2F2002&Playertype=P |title=Wasps profile |date=mdy}}
- {{World Rugby Sevens Series player}}
- {{Olympedia}}
{{USA Men's Sevens squad 2024 Summer Olympics}}
{{USA 2020 Summer Olympics Squad}}
{{USA 2016 Summer Olympics Squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Friday, Mike}}
Category:English rugby union coaches
Category:Rugby union players from Chichester
Category:Rosslyn Park F.C. players
Category:United States national rugby sevens team coaches
Category:Olympic coaches for the United States
Category:Harlequin F.C. players
Category:Blackheath F.C. players
Category:English rugby union players
Category:Coaches at the 2024 Summer Olympics