While the qualification to the 2016 Rio Olympics was expected for the USA women, it wasn’t such a done deal for the USA men.

The men’s team had to face up against Canada in the final, and everyone knew that it would be a tense game.

As it turned out, it wasn’t tense early on. The Eagles blew the doors off the first half with brilliant tries from Perry Baker, Danny Barrett, and Maka Unufe - all different, all devastating, with Madison Hughes converting each one.

But up 21-0, the Eagles ended the first half with Folau Niua getting a yellow card for use of the knee. Supporters of Niua said it was just a standard power step - Niua doing into a tackler to knock him back. Referee Rasta Rasivhenge said it was dangerous, called a penalty, and added the card.

So the Eagles started the second half down a man, and also with Perry Baker on the sideline for a concussion check (which he failed). Carlin Isles is a pretty good player, too, but he joined the game a good four minutes before he expected to.

And then it was a case of holding on. The USA battled through a long second half during which they were defending or inside their end most of the time. They were penalized in the ruck, much to their annoyance, and they were challenged physically, and held on. Isles made several huge tackles, sometimes on players much, much bigger than her. And Barrett was lined up by Canada’s big captain John Moonlight, and he was up to the task each time.

And that, perhaps more than anything, was what the USA team has been about - being up to the task.

“I am immensely proud of the boys and what they did today,” said USA Coach Mike Friday. “The desire and commitment was there. They ran their good to water.”

Frida said he was displeased with the policing of the breakdown, and felt that his team deserved some penalties. But while Friday was miffed, his team handled it.

“They didn’t get flustered,”said Friday. “They took it and worked with it. We had learned those lessons already. I say you’ve got to get it wrong to get it right, and we got it wrong - remember Scotland in Wellington. So the guys were determined to hold on.”

Many of the players came in for praise by Friday. Garrett Bender played hurt - hurt quite badly. Zack Test was still just coming back from injury. Baker had to leave the final due to a concussion. Barrett was immense - the player of the tournament if you ask the folks at Goff Rugby Report World Headquarters. But Friday also mentioned Unufe, who scored an outstanding try in the final by working supremely hard in support, and working hard everywhere else.

“Maka defended for his life,” said Friday. “He doesn’t play all the way through the 14-minute games and he played 16 or 17 minutes in the final. He made some crucial tackles. But that’s the heart of this team.It’s the commitment they showed.”

 

USA 21

Tries: Perry, Barrett, Unufe

Convs: Hughes 3

 

Canada 5

Tries: Jones

 

 

Total tournament stats for USA:

Wins 5

Losses 0

Points for: 229

Points against: 10

 

Tries:

Baker 9

Isles 6

Iosefo, Barrett, Unufe 4

Niua, Hughes, Wyles 2

Augspurger, Bender, Test 1

 

 

Points:

Baker 45

Hugher 40

Isles 30