Eagles Power Through Japan
Eagles Power Through Japan
The USA Men's 15s National Team held on in a thrilling and weird game to beat Japan 23-18 in the Pacific Nations Cup.
In the Eagles' first victory over the Brave Blossoms since the 2003 Rugby World Cup, the USA had the majority of possession and scoring opportunities in the first half, but just couldn't convert. But in the second half, they did the basic things right, and enjoyed a superb day of kicking from flyhalf AJ MacGinty.
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The game started in the USA's favor. They won the kickoff and pounded the Japanese left and right. Thretton Palamo made a half-break and after a few more phases it seemed the try was on offer with Blaine Scully free on the left wing. But Seamus Kelly's pass was forward, and that ended that. But the USA kept up the pressure throughout the first 25 minutes, earning several penalty opportunities. The first was about 39 meters in front of the posts, and MacGinty slotted it without any problem. The second was after a break up the right side by Scott LaValla. That one was missed. But after that MacGinty knocked over another.
Japan replied, finally getting some ball and testing the USA defensive line. The Eagles held up well, but flyhalf Harumichi Tatekawa slotted a penalty to make it 6-3. Danny Barrett had two nice runs up the wing, one in which it would have been nice to see him dish to Taku Ngwenya. But he was caught both times, and in the end it seemed that the game would come down to which team would falter on defense.
Another MacGinty penalty made it 9-3, and then some problems. The Eagles tried to pop a few too many passes out of contact. The ball squirted behind the support and after a fly-hack ahead, the USA players were scrambling in their own 22. Chris Wyles and MacGinty raced back to save the day, but eventually the USA gave up a penalty, and Tetkawa made it 9-6.
With time winding down in the first half, Japan took a scrum in their 22. They ran a set move to the left that flummoxed the USA midfield and left Yoshikazu Fujita and Akihito Yamada on a two-on-one against Wyles. They executed it perfectly and Yamada was in at the corner for an improbably 11-9 lead.
Things looked worse in the second half as the USA defensive line started to fracture. A few players got wrong-footed and Palamo was left kicking himself for some iffy tackles. That allowed Japan to push on, and under pressure, the Eagles were penalized when Ngwenya was called for a deliverate knock-on. The wing got ten minutes in the sin bin for his pains, but Tatekawa missed the easy penalty that ensured.
No problem. Soon Japan was back in USA 22. A drive to the line was held up, but the ensuing scrum was all Japan, and No. 8 Holani Ryu Koliniashi picked up and scored as the USA pack crumbled. Tatekawa hit the extras to make it 18-9, and just like last week, the USA seemed at sea and out of the running, only to come back. things looked even bleaker with Danny Barrett off with an injury, but Al McFarland came on for his first cap and made an immediate impact.
The USA defense reappeared and forced a penalty. MacGinty launched a massive punt to the corner that turned the entire field around, and from that lineout the Eagles attacked and earned a penalty, which MacGinty slotted.
From the restart, McFarland caught the ball and surged ahead. Mike Petri, getting his 50th cap on the evening, launched a box kick that was nicely chased by Ngwenya. The Eagles didn't get the ball but kept up the pressure, and there was yet another penalty. MacGinty slotted that one, too, to make it 18-15. Same story on the next restart. McFarland powered through, and Petri launched a kick. The pressure forced a turnover, and while the line breaks weren't there, once again Japan was guilty of killing the ball or cynical play. No cards, but another MacGinty penalty, and just like that it was 18-18.
Japan mixed up the kickoff the next time, going to the left, but Cam Dolan made a superb take, and this time on the box kick, Scully was obstructed. MacGinty's skills came to play again, as he kicked down the sideline from a tough angle, and into the corner.
This was the key moment. The crowd knew it, and certainly the team knew it. With sub hooker Phil Thiel on, the Eagles won the lineout through LaValla - who was brilliant tonight. The maul was set, and as it slowly marched forward, fans were treated to the not unamusing sight of tiny AJ MacGinty running in to join the push. Not to be out-done, all of the other USA backs, except Petri (patrolling as scrumhalf), and Ngwenya (the farthest away), joined in. Thirteen men shoved the ball over the line, and the man with the ball was Andrew Durutalo. Try USA.
That made it 23-18, and while MacGinty's kick was away, he'd done plenty to keep his team in the game.
There still remained seven minutes, and it was seven very tense minutes. The Eagles looked a little battered but held on defensively. They gave up some penalties, but Japan opted to forget about kicks at goal, opting instead to roll the dive on the game-winning try. It seemed like it might come with three minutes to go, as Japan took a scrum five meters out. Sub lock Lou Stanfill was just the right guy to have there, yelling at his teammates and slapping backs. This was important. The scrum situaiton was dodgy, and both teams were lucky not to be penalized for popping up, but in the end the Eagles held rthe scrum, and the ball had to come out. There, in open play, the USA defense excellend. Players all over made key tackles, and, even more key, no one tried to get too cute poaching the ball. More than once a USA player thought he could take the ball and opted not to risk the penalty.
Finally, with time almost up, LaValla stepped over the ruck to see if he could take the ball there. Referee Luke Pierce told LaValla to step back, which the flanker did. However, Japan flanker Michael Broadhurst decided it would be a good idea to fly in and blindside LaValla, who was now out of the ruck. In from the side penalty, yellow card against Broadhurst. MacGrinty kicked for a lineout, the Eagles won it, mauled it, and then the slight flyhalf from Life University got the honor of finishing the game with a kick to touch.
It was an exciting game despire the dearth of tries. The USA might feel like they have trouble finishing, but cynical ball-killing will do that. Overall, the defensive effort was inspirational. The attack was secure, if not spectacular, and the sense that this is a team was palpable.
Petri, in his 50th Eagle match, was very good, and MacGinty, of course, was excellent. And while heroics from Titi Lamostele and Hayden Smith helped the USA along, the player of the game had to have been Scott LaValla. The flanker made some big runs, was superb in his ball handling, was excellent in the tackle, and at set piece. Everything good that happened for the USA he seemed to be in the middle of, and everything bad, he was there cleaning it up.
The USA is now 1-1 in the Pacific Nations Cup. They face Tonga on July 29 in Toronto with a legitimate shot at playing in the title game August 3.
USA 23
Tries: Durutalo
Pens: MacGinty 6
Japan 18
Tries: Yamada, Koliniashi
Convs: Tatekawa
Pens: Tatekawa 2
Men's Eagles | v. Japan
1. Eric Fry
2. Zach Fenoglio
3. Titi Lamositele
4. Hayden Smith
5. Cameron Dolan
6. Scott LaValla
7. Andrew Durutalo
8. Danny Barrett
9. Mike Petri
10. AJ MacGinty
11. Takudzwa Ngwenya
12. Thretton Palamo
13. Seamus Kelly
14. Blaine Scully
15. Chris Wyles (C)
Men's Eagles | Reserves (X=played)
16. Phil Thiel X
17. Nick Wallace
18. Chris Baumann
19. Louis Stanfill X
20. Alastair McFarland X
21. Shalom Suniula X
22. Folau Niua X
23. Zack Test X
Japan | v. USA
1. Keita Inagaki
2. Takeshi Kizu
3. Kensuke Yamashita
4. Hitoshi Ono
5. Luke Thompson
6. Justin Ives
7. Michael Broadhurst
8. Holani Ryu Koliniashi
9. Keisuke Uchidaa
10. Harumichi Tatekawa
11. Akihito Yamada
12. Ryohei Yamanaka
13. Kotaro Matsushima
14. Karne Hesketh
15. Yoshikazu Fujita
Japan | Reserves
16. Hisateru Hirashima
17. Hiroki Yuhara
18. Shinnosuke Kakinaga
19. Kazuhiko Usami
20. Tsuyoshi Murata
21. Atsushi Hiwasa
22. Kosei Ono
23. Tim Bennetts
