Astonishing Day for USA Men Gives Them Hope

06.05.2026Elite 7s, Eagles

David Still III put all he had into the win over Spain. Photo Alex Ho for World Rugby.

Author: Alex Goff

Going into the final SVNS tournament in Bordeaux this weekend the USA men's team sat 11th, albeit an 11th virtually tied with 10th-place Germany.

If you want to make it to SVNS 1, you need to finish in the top 8, and to do that, in the end, it meant the Eagles need to finish nine points higher than Kenya or France (and it doesn't matter which).

That seemed like a very tall order, which is why leading USA try-scorer Lucas Lacamp said the focus wasn't really on that.

However, after Day One in Bordeaux, the feeling is a little different. Set up against a very good and very experienced Spain team, and then against Valladolid SVNS champs Australia, the Eagles produced some of their best rugby.

First up was Spain, and some intelligent ball movement set up Lacamp for his 19th try of the season and a 5-0 lead. Key in this was that the Eagles were working to avoid those all-important holding-on penalties. Players who were good at charging through one tackler, forcing more to make the defensive play, had been finding themselves isolated. The solution was the classic "pocket" play. Fling the ball back, hopefully to a teammate trailing, and you're out of the ruck and still attacking.

This was especially useful for David Still, III, and for Orrin Bizer. The big men now had a better option when isolated in the tackle, and it worked.

Spain, however, know a thing or two about rugby and as the penalties piled up the Lions got out of trouble in their 22 with some good ball movement of their own and a sidestep that put a USA defender on the deck.

They doubled down on that with a somewhat fortunate penalty to take a 14-5 lead into the break.

But the Eagles really unleashed their ruck-avoidance play in the second half, and it had the Spanish chasing the ball all over. Orrin Bizer charged through after a long sequence, and Lacamp torched for another.

As time was winding down it was 19-14 USA.

Spain then broke through. They looked for all money like they would score, but Will Chevalier produced a brilliant, gritty tackle, and then popped up to turn the ball over. The Eagles moved it wide to Still, and he took off. The power runner seemed to pull a hamstring about two-third of the way through his 90-meter run, but the gamely hippety-hopped to the end for the try to seal the match.

Spain scored at the end, but the USA had the win, 24-19.

In their second match on Friday, the Eagles faced Australia. It wasn't getting any easier. But instead of resting on their laurels of the first win, they took the game to the Aussies.

The Wallabies had the ball and territory early and made the USA pay in the corner within two minutes. But overall the American defense was very good. The Americans answered with one of the tries of the tournament. Every player was involved in a multi-phase, 21-pass sequence that included a nifty spin-o-rama move from Bizer and a kick-pass from Lacamp. Finally, with the Australians stretched badly, Stephen Tomasin cut through the middle.

The skipper converted for a 7-5 USA lead.

Right after that, Australia got a yellow card, and the Americans calmly took care of it. They didn't rush or try something too flashy—something a bit at odds with what Lacamp said this week.

But they again kept the ball alive, making sure the defense was always on the move. Aaron Cummings won the restart, and with the man advantage, Lacamp went over after the scrum. The USA led 14-5 at the break.

Back, of course, game Australia, benefitting from a couple of USA penalties and scored two in quick succession. The USA defense had been good, but it faltered in the middle stages of the second half. Australia had the lead 17-14.

The Eagles had time for one more shot, but were pinned in their own 22. They messed it up early, throwing a pass into touch, but off the ensuing attack Ben Broselle made a try-saving tackle and counter-rucked to win the ball for the USA. Penalty, and when the USA called for a scrum they had a lifeline.

Moments later Chevalier was smashed with a no-wrap tackle to the head. Penalty, yellow card, but Chevalier would have to leave for a head-injury assessment.

Still in their 22, the Eagles took off on a longer sequence than the earlier one. It took them 15 passes and four phases to get over the halfway line. Still they did well to connect on their passes and support in the rucks. Australia was pinged for diving over and the ball went wide to Lacamp. He set up Jack Wendling, who charged on and was tackled inches short of the tryline. No one was there to help for Australia, so Lacamp just picked up and dove over.

It was four minutes past full time, and the USA had gone six phases and 22 passes to cover 80 meters for the game-winner 19-17.

It was an inspiring win and afterward Tomasin praised his team's grit and determination, adding that they knew this would be a 14-minute battle. He was wrong, it was an 18-minute battle.

Where We Stand

So here is where we stand with the USA men.

The Eagles lead Pool B with a 2-0 record, and they have Uruguay left on the docket. If they win that they will be 3-0 and set up for a good quarterfinal matchup ... maybe.

At the same time, Kenya is currently 0-2 and not in great shape to make the quarterfinals. This opens the door for a SVNS 1 spot. A win in the quarterfinals should do it, because that guarantees the Eagles at least 14 points and, if they are in the bottom four, Kenya can earn no better than four.

Even a loss will keep them in the hunt if they take 5th and Kenya doesn't secure 9th.

However, the complication is, the best scenario for the USA is for Kenya to be in the bottom four and not France, because then the other bottom four teams will likely be Uruguay, Germany, and Great Britain. That would mean no other teams on the outside looking in could do what the USA is trying to do.

The key? Keep the ball alive, keep playing through the 14th minute, and keep winning games.