View source for 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 (rugby union)|Scrum-half]]
| amatyears1      = 
| amatteam1       = 
| years3          = 1997–2000
| years4          = 2000–2001
| years5          = 2001–2002
| clubs1          = [[Wasps RFC|London Wasps]]
| clubs2          = [[Blackheath FC]]
| clubs3          = [[Wasps RFC|London Wasps]]
| clubs4          = [[Harlequin F.C.|Harlequins]]
| clubs5          = [[Wasps RFC|London Wasps]]
| apps1           = 
| points1         = 
| superyears1     = 
| super1          = 
| superapps1      = 
| superpoints1    = 
| provinceyears1  = 
| province1       = 
| provinceapps1   = 
| provincepoints1 = 
| repyears1       = 
| repteam1        = 
| repcaps1        = 
| reppoints1      = 
| repsevensyears1 = 1998–2001
| repsevensteam1  = [[England national rugby sevens team|England 7s]]
| repsevenscomp1  = 
| coachyears1     = 2004–2006
| coachyears2     = 2012–2013
| coachyears3     = 2014–2015
| coachyears4     = 2014–2024
| coachteams1     = [[England national rugby sevens team|England]] 7s
| coachteams2     = [[Kenya national rugby sevens team|Kenya]] 7s
| coachteams3     = [[London Scottish F.C.|London Scottish]]
| coachteams4     = [[United States national rugby sevens team|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 (rugby union)|Matt Hawkins]], following the [[2013–14 IRB Sevens World Series|2013–14 World Series]]. On 30 September 2024 USA Rugby announced that Friday would be replaced by [[Simon Amor]].<ref>{{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}}</ref> He is the father of [[Lucas Friday]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Lucas Friday Profile |url=https://www.quins.co.uk/profile/lucas-friday |publisher=Harlequins |access-date=3 January 2025}}</ref>

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.<ref name="usarugby.org">[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.</ref> While at Wasps he helped them win the [[Anglo-Welsh Cup]] in 1999 and 2000; he was a replacement in both finals.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>

==England (2001–2006)==
Friday served for three years as assistant coach to [[Joe Lydon (rugby)|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.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
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]].<ref name="nation">{{cite web |url=http://www.nation.co.ke |publisher=nation.co.ke |title=Daily Nation - Breaking News, Kenya, Africa, Politics, Business, Sports &#124; HOME |accessdate=2016-09-03}}</ref> 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.<ref name="nation"/>

==United States (2014–2024)==
Friday was appointed head coach of the [[United States national rugby sevens team|United States national sevens team]] by USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville in July 2014. Melville was Friday's coach when Friday played at [[Wasps RFC|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 F.C.|London Scottish]] professional rugby team.<ref name="usarugby.org"/>
As of May 14, 2015 it was announced that Friday was leaving the London Scottish role.<ref>[http://www.thisisamericanrugby.com/2015/05/mike-friday-leaving-london-scottish.html "Mike Friday Leaving London Scottish"] This is American Rugby</ref>

On 8 August 2024 USA Rugby announced that Friday had decided to step away as U.S.A. men's sevens coach.<ref name="step">{{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}}</ref>

==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 IRB Sevens World Series|2004–05]] || align=left | {{nrut7|England}} || style="background:#c96;" |3rd
|-
| [[2005-06 IRB Sevens World Series|2005–06]] || align=left | {{nrut7|England}} || style="background:Silver;" |2nd
|-
| [[2012–13 IRB Sevens World Series|2012–13]] || align=left | {{nrut7|Kenya}} || 5th
|-
| [[2014–15 Sevens World Series|2014–15]] || align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} || 6th
|-
| [[2015–16 World Rugby Sevens Series|2015–16]] || align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} || 6th
|-
| [[2016–17 World Rugby Sevens Series|2016–17]] || align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} || 5th
|-
| [[2017–18 World Rugby Sevens Series|2017–18]] || align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} || 6th
|-
| [[2018–19 World Rugby Sevens Series|2018–19]] || align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} || style="background:Silver;" | 2nd
|-
| [[2019–20 World Rugby Sevens Series|2019–20]] || align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} || 7th
|-
| [[2021 World Rugby Sevens Series|2021]] || align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} || 5th
|-
| [[2022–23 World Rugby Sevens Series|2022–23]] || align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} || 10th
|-
| [[2023–24 SVNS|2023–24]] || align=left | {{nrut7|United States}} || ''8th''
|-
|}

==Personal life==
He is the father of [[Harlequin F.C.|Harlequins]] scrum half [[Lucas Friday]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/latest-news/427315/top-of-the-world-2/|website=The Rugby Paper|accessdate=2 January 2025|title= Top of the world|date=21 July 2024}}</ref>

==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:1972 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[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:Wasps RFC players]]
[[Category:Harlequin F.C. players]]
[[Category:Blackheath F.C. players]]
[[Category:English rugby union players]]
[[Category:Coaches at the 2024 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Coaches at the 2020 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Coaches at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]