Comeback Kids Do It Again

Brushing Off Setbacks

The USA started the second half well, kicking a bit more, but since Spain were having trouble retaining ball on kicks it made sense.

But the chances fell away. They were deep in USA territory but lost the ball. Spain kicked the length of the field and only some speed and hard work from O'Keeffe saved the Eagles from trouble.

Then, running through their pattern, the USA just ran into a bit of bad luck. Spain's scrumhalf, Bay, took the right line behind Hilsebneck and picked off a no-look pass from the USA flyhalf. Bay immediately passed it off to Cian, and the center took off for 55 meters to score untouched. 

Lopez converted and, really against the run of play, Spain had tied it up. The Eagles had a golden chance to retake the lead when reserve forward Nafi Ma'afu snagged a loose ball and charged down the sideline. He was ankle-tapped but popped an offload to the onrushing Roberts.

But Roberts couldn't hold onto the ball—the pass might have been a bit low but it was catchable—and Spain had dodged a bullet.

Spain kept the ball after that and despite some powerful collisions from the USA, were able to stay in USA territory and, ultimately, took the lead when Lopez put a penalty goal over.

Now we were into the final quarter of the match and the USA was in danger of pressing a bit. They did have a chance to tie it up,  but Luke Carty, on for Hilsenbeck, was short on a 45-meter effort. Still, the Eagles got the ball back and put in one of their more patient sequences.

Another player in off the bench, the experienced Tavite Lopeti, showed his experienced by delaying a pass that probably would have been intercepted had he given it. He took contact instead, and quick ball from de Haas allowed Besag to make a half-break and offload a chicken-wing pass to May.

The winger needed no second invitation, as he raced back into the middle, sidestepped a defender, and was able to stretch to the line just as he was tackled.

It was the dagger blow they needed and, with Carty's conversion, made it 26-22.

Closing It Out

That four-point lead wasn't a comfortable one. An unconverted try would turn it around, and Spain was determined to get it. The Eagles, for their part, had been in this position the last couple of games.

They had held slim leads the last two matches and had been faced with a long period of defense. The positive thing about a four-point lead is that a penalty goal won't do it for the opposition. The USA defended well against Spain, stay onside, didn't get sloppy in trying for turnovers that weren't there, and eventually a massive his by Zeke Lindenmuth and poach from Bonasso releive pressure.

After that, the USA went to more of a field position game, and all of that eventually forced Spain to kick to touch. The Eagles attacked, got a penalty, and Carty was good on the 27-meter chance to make it a seven-point match at 29-22.

Spain came back and were looking dangerous but Bay had the ball knocked loose in a tackle. Under pressure, the Eagles got another turnover, this time by Ryan, and debutant Charlie Abel sent a wide, loopy pass to Cary, who thumped the ball 80 meters to the Spanish line. 

All the Lions could do was touch it down for a goalline drop. And while de Haas's attempt at a drop goal didn't go over (he's done that in test matches before), it all served to tick away the clock. A good stop on a maul, thanks largely to Damm wrapping up the ball, and then running phases to work off the final seconds, and the USA had won.

Three Wins

Only the USA and Georgia have three wins out of three this summer. In the fall we will see the Eagles play the Lelos, as well as Romania and Hong Kong (shock winners of Uruguay today). They are in an excellent position to win this Nations Cup.

But, more importantly, as Head Coach Scott Lawrence has been saying, this is about building to the 2027 World Cup. What these games show is that the USA can win in different wats. This match, by far, showed they can play expansive and wide.

It also showed that they are dialed in on the tactical needs of the moment—play territory when it's called for, and play for time when you have to. They adjusted when a penalty would be hugely damaging, and adjusted when the lineout wasn't working great, and they went short.

With a little better finishing they could have walked away with a huge win. Their scrum was 100%. Because of their adjustments they were 16-for-17 in lineouts and stole two Spanish throws. Their tackle rate wasn't outstanding, but it was far better than Spain's. Their penalty count was a little too high but included a couple of unlucky, wrong-place wrong-time mistakes. And when they absolutely had to be accurate on defense, they were.

The Eagles got nine turnovers to Spain's five. They actually kicked more than last week, but kept winning the ball back, and in terms of minutes in possession, they kicked about 22% more per minute of possession when they played Zimbabwe.

From set piece to meters run to defenders beaten to time of possession, the USA dominated this match. And they did score four tries. But they might als come away thinking there were more tries to score.

USA 29
Tries: Wilson, Ryan, Roberts, Mayo
Convs: Hilsenbeck 2, Carty
Pens: Carty

Spain 22
Tries: Bay, Manteca, Cian
Convs: Lopez 2
Pens: Lopez