Fourth place for the USA Men's 7s team in Dubai provided a little look at what a difference some of the more experienced players make.
While everyone who came back from injury is a good player, the one who probably had the greatest influence was Joe Schroeder. Winning restarts and winning the aereal battle suddenly became a lot easier with the former Royal Irish star.
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The Eagles' first game against Canada was closer than it should have been—Canada scored late in the game to make it 19-14 and had a shot to win it—but still they should have had that comfortably in hand by then. We saw some good skill and teamwork to set up tries from Licas Lacamp, David Still, and Marcus Tupuola. Lacamp deserved that try as he was involved in the movement toward the try several times, making clearouts, running in support, and operating as the halfback.
Still's was simply a charge down the sideline, but created because everyone else was pretty accurate with the ball. It wasn't flashy but it worked. Tupuola's try started back at the USA tryline and was a classic case of Perry Baker letting defenders focus on him and then freeing up his teammate.
After that the Eagles gardly saw the ball, and when they got it back everyone seemed to stand there watching Lacamp get swarmed by three defenders with no help.
After that they slammed an overmatched Japan side. The game is notable because seven different players score the seven USA tries.
And Samoa was the big surprise. They had been playing so well and the USA already had their two wins and were in the quarterfinals win or lose.
The USA started that game with a really good, patient defensive front. Once they got the ball back they could have set Baker free but Tupuola's pass was too far in front and went into touch. Still, the Eagles kept it up and then somehow Lacamp got out of a tackle and while the Samoan defenders expected him to go down he just took off to score. Samoa scored twice ate in the first half and you were thinking "OK, here we go."
But in the second half the Eagles were happy to slow the game down and avoid a track meet. They got a couple of early penalties and opted for a lineout and then a scrum. In open play they kept the ball alive and didn't get into isolated rucks. An excellent pullout and floated pass from Baker put Kevon Williams free right up the middle. That play took three Samoans out of the play and another fell over trying to grab Williams. That made it 14-12, but they was plenty of rugby to go.
Lacamp then forced a knock-on with a cheeky slap of the ball, and again the Eagles could work the clock. It was risky stuff—tey were up only two—but it was working. A penalty with 2:45 to go allowed them to work 25 seconds off the clock and twice stop the clock to bring on subs. It was a bit of gamemanship from Mike Friday to be sure but it also ensured fresh players at a crucial part of the game. Ans they finished it off working passes and not getting in position to give up penalties, and took their time when Samoa finally committed a penalty out of frustration.
It all sucked the wind out of Samoa's sails, and while the USA should have scored at the end, they did succeed in killing off the game with a slim lead.
