The USA will play for the Bowl in the Men's Dubai 7s Saturday in Dubai after going 1-2 in a tough pool.

 

In the opening game the USA did just fine when they kept the ball, but they ran into penalty trouble early and thrice - despite Head Coach Mike Friday’s admonitions - turned a promising possession into an England penalty.

 

All three involved Danny Barrett failing to get the ball back quickly enough in the ruck. 

 

The Eagles actually started really well. They almost sent Perry Baker in early, but his boot grazed the touchline. Moments later, with Baker writhing on the grounds after making a tackle, Madison Hughes jinked through a hole to score the opening try.

 

But after that the Eagles could not keep the ball and got into frustrating penalty trouble. Some of the penalties were dubious, including a call for a deliberate knock-on against Baker that was more clearly the result of him trying to make a tackle. But still the call was made and England spun it to Dan Norton who made no mistake. It was 5-5 then, and with time up in the first half it was still 5-5 when the Eagles got a penalty thanks to some excellent work from Zack Test. They opted to run it and worked a move with Garrett Bender and Baker. Baker almost made it to the line but was caught and the half was over.

 

In the second half, England struck quickly, using Norton to slice open the USA line and then feed captain Tom Mitchell.

 

The USA failed to retain their restart - an issue in this game - and more penalties virtually handed a try to Christian Lewis-Pratt.

 

Down 19-5 the Eagles got the ball back and simple hands allowed Carlin Isles to streak away for a nicely-taken try. But it was too late. 19-10 England.

 

Martin Iosefo and Aladdin Schirmer, making their first appearances on the World Rugby HSBC Sevens World Series, and were part of that final scoring movement.

 

1. Carlin Isles 
2. Pat Blair 
3. Danny Barrett 
4. Garrett Bender 
5. Zack Test 
6. Andrew Durutalo 
7. Folau Niua 
8. Maka Unufe 
9. Aladdin Schirmer 
10. Madison Hughes (C) 
11. Perry Baker 
12. Martin Iosefo

 

USA  10

Tries: Hughes, Isles

England  19

Tries: Norton, Mitchell, Lewis-Pratt 

Conversions: Lewis-Pratt (2)

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The second game for the USA also ended in defeat, as Australia won 26-10. Iosefo gave the USA a nice start after Australia’s kickoff didn’t go ten meters. Zack Test and then IOsefo came close to the line, but eventually they spun the ball to the Hawaiian product (by way of the University of Montana) for his first try.

 

But again penalties in the breakdown hurt the USA, and they gave up two quick tries to fall behind 14-5. Mike Friday urged his team to contest at the breakdown, but this resulted in a few penalties, one of which had both Friday and Zach Test asking what they did wrong. Later replays showed that Test had rights to the ball and Australia should have been penalized for holding on. This happened at the Aussie 22, and had that penalty gone to the USA, the game might have been different.

 

As it was, Pama Fou scored for Australia to lead 21-5. The USA had more scoring chances but couldn’t quite make it happen. Eventually Australia kicked deep and had a nice chase going on, but Barrett rescued the ball, and kept to his feet until help arrived. The Eagles passed to Isles, and with tons of space on his right, he sped to the corner.

 

Isles touched down only to see Australia’s James Stannard knock the ball away after the touchdown in a rather bush league fit of pique. The action was not worthy of Stannard and Isles rightly looked at the Australian captain with some level of confusion and annoyance.

 

Australia had the last laugh, though, with a late score from Ed Jenkins to seal it 26-10.

 

USA 10 

Tries: Iosefo, Isles

Australia  26 

Tries: Jenkins (2), Clark, Fou

Conversions: Stannard, Clark (2)

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The third game of the day saw the Eagles make their mark a little more successfully. The scoreline will say the USA won 26-17, but really it was a more comprehensive win than that. Kenya scored two tries in the last minute, when they had to score at least three to tie it. The Eagles were in no danger of losing this game.

 

They did, however, lose Zach Test to a worrying ankle injury late in the second half.

 

With Baker a little beat up Isles started this game and scored two quick tries to take his Day One total to four. Test added another for a 19-5 lead.

 

The USA had to battle their way to get over for their fourth. Test was twisted around in a tackle just short of the line and would eventually limp off. But before he did, the USA camped out on the Kenyan line and eventually Maka Unufe stretched over for the try.

 

A tired-looking USA seemed to fall off tackles a bit later, but they held on.

 

USA 26

Tries: Isles (2), Test, Unufe

Convs: Hughes (3)

 

Kenya 17

Tries: Muhani, Sikuta (2)

Convs: Opondo

 

And so the USA finished 1-2, but a competitive 1-2, giving up only two tries more than they scored. This sets up a Bowl Quarterfinal against Japan at 12:52AM early Saturday morning (Eastern Time) or 9:52PM Friday night Pacific Time. 

 

After that it’s France or Canada.