HONG KONG – The USA Men’s Eagles Sevens finished Hong Kong runners up in the Plate after something of a let-down on Day Three of the grueling tournament.

After winning their pool in the first two days of competition, the Eagles lost their Cup Quarterfinal against Samoa, defeated Argentina in the Plate Semi, and then lost a close one to Australia in the Plate FInal.

Zack Test scored two tries in the loss against Samoa. Samoa struck in the first minute through Greg Lealofi after the Eagles lost out on the defensive kickoff. Samoa held possession as offloads came in the tackle. Danny Barrett grabbed onto Lealofi as he crossed the try line, but failed to hold up the try-scorer. Tila Mealoi converted for a maximum sevens points on the play.

Maka Unufe got hands to the restart first, but the ball found the pitch and bounced off of captain Madison Hughes into the hands of a Samoan. Samoa Toloa received it and ran to the corner of the try zone to extend the lead to 14-0.

It did not get better for the Eagles, who conceded a third try in just the fourth minute of the match. Toloa broke the defensive line inside the Eagles’ half after Barrett knocked the restart, and Alatasi Tupou raced in on support to ge tthe pass and the try.

The Eagles had their first possession in the fifth minute and drew a yellow card after driving into Samoa’s half. Friday’s team set up a disciplined attack destined to score until Barrett’s final pass to Carlin Isles went into touch. Samoa kicked the ball out to end the half.

The USA was on the front foot in the opening minutes of the second frame with the man advantage, but a knock-on by Nate Augspurger ended a fluid attack inside Samoa’s half. Finally the Eagles got on the scoreboard, as a turnover allowed Test to drag a defender almost ten meters into in-goal to make it 21-5.

Lafaele Vaa scored despite an impressive chase from Perry Baker to extend Samoa's lead to 26-5, before Test and Baker scored late.

It was not the kind of game the USA wanted.

Note: Augspurger started as Folau Niua picked up a six-game suspension for actions in Saturday's game against England.

USA 15
Tries: Test 2, Baker

Samoa 26
Tries: Lealofi, Toloa, Tupou, Vaa
Convs: Mealoi 3

So that set up a Plate Semifinal against Argentina, a team the USA is chasing in the standings, and it was a good rebound for the Eagles as they beat the Pumas 28-14.

Despite Danny Barrett catching the opening kickoff, Argentina scored in the first two minutes of the match with a fluid attack that steadily pushed the Eagles’ defensive line backwards. Rodrigo Etchart made the final move to dot down by sliding around Zack Test.

The USA responded within a minute after Madison Hughes raced down the touchline. He offloaded out of contact to Test, who fed Barrett for a nicely-taken try and a 7-7 tie.

Maka Unufe set up the Eagles’ second and third tries with brilliant individual efforts. His fifth-minute try was the result of a run from inside the Eagles’ half that weaved through the Argentinian defense and beneath the posts. In the final minute of the half, his offload to Perry Baker 15 meters out put the Eagles’ halftime lead at 21-7.

Argentina enjoyed an extended period of possession to start the second half after the Eagles turned the ball over with a penalty. The attack came to nothing, however, with a knock-on called against the Pumas in the ninth minute.

The Eagles managed the clock for the remaining minutes with Argentina helping by taking multiple penalties. From midfield in the penultimate minute of the match, Test got around a diving defender along the touch line and beat Argentina’s sweeper at the 22 for his tournament-leading sixth try of the tournament.

Francisco Merello added a consolation try for Argentina to finish it.

USA 28 
Tries: Barrett, Unufe, Baker, Test 
Convs: Hughes 4

Argentina 14 
Tries: Etchart, Merello 
Convs: Alvarez 2

 

So on to the Plate Final, where the USA almost won, but eventually fell to Australia 21-17. 

Perry Baker scored what must be one of the tries of the tournament at Hong Kong Stadium and Madison Hughes scored a highlight-reel try of his own, but once again the USA controlled the kickoff, and turned the ball over to fall behind. The Eagles replied with Hughes breaking through and offloading to Andrew Durutalo. 

The USA had the last word in the half, as Baker intercepted an Australian pass about 20 meters from the touchline and raced in under the posts untouched. That made it 12-7 for the USA. Hughes then preserved that lead with a chase-down of Cameron Clark, rolling the Australian to ensure he didn't touch the ball down.

Shannon Walker restored Australia’s lead in the 10th minute by breaking Baker’s tackle 10 meters from the line and fending Test in-goal. Clark extended the lead to 21-12 on the 12th-minute restart with the referee playing an advantage to Australia.

But the Eagles weren't done. Australia was awarded a scrum at the Eagles’ 22, but lost the ball to Hughes, who jumped on his opposing scrumhalf to force the ball loose - something he had been doing all weekend. He grabbed the ball and took off 75 meters to score in the corner. That made it 21-17, and there was time enough for one more push. The Eagles attacked once more and were at Australia's 22, but Test's pass to Durutalo on the wing didn't go to end, and the game was over.

USA 17 
Tries: Durutalo, Baker, Hughes 
Convs: Hughes

Australia 21 
Tries: Fa'alava'au, Walker, Clark 
Convs: Clark

 

The USA remains 7th in the World Series standings, but edged closer to Argentina. The USA has 63 points, and Argentina 64. The dream of making the top four is slowly drifting away as the current top four all finished higher than the USA.

​Test tied Fiji's Savenaca Rawaca as tournament try-leaders with six. Baker tied for 3rd with five. Test made the all-tournament team.