The Rio Olympics is over for the USA Men as the Eagles defeated Spain 24-12 to secure 9th.

The United States ended up 3-2 in the Games, losing two close ones to Argentina and Fiji, beating Brazil twice, and Spain once, but never really finding the form they wanted.

In this 9th-10th game, the Eagles had some changes. Perry Baker was out injured, and injury replacement Martin Iosefo was brought in and started. Head Coach Mike Friday used every single player at his disposal except for Nate Ebner, who had a pretty good tournament, but likely wasn’t needed.

Iosefo got involved early, making several tackles, but also committing a penalty and then being beating on the edge of the ruck by Pablo Fontes de Castro for an early Spain try. The Spanish did very well to retain ball and rucked effectively, and in fact the game was three minutes old and the USA hadn’t even touched the ball.

But they did get it at the restart. Garrett Bender went up high to catch the kick, and Joan Losada was determined to have done it on purpose. Losada got two minutes in the sin bin, and the USA got a penalty. Folau Niua could likely have just tapped and handed off to Carlin Isles, the wing had do much space. But instead he went left, and after a ruck on the left side sent it right. Isles was bottled up and lofted the hospital passes of all hospital passes to Madison Hughes, who was slammed to the ground.

But Spain was off their feet, Niua tapped quickly, found Iosefo, who sent a wide pass, on the bounce, to Danny Barrett, who cut back inside and galloped over.

Spain dominated possession for a good part of the rest of the first half, but the USA held on defensively until they got a lineout, and then it was a case of winning the lineout, and spinning it out to Isles, and the winger needed no second invitation. Isles turned on the jets and went 80 meters to make it 12-5 at halftime.

Niua’s second-half kickoff went out on the full, but the USA team defended the free kick well enough and eventually got a penalty. Hughes kicked for touch, but, shockingly, missed. Spain kept up the attack, and got a break when Angel Lopez was set free. Zack Test (on with three other subs), made a perfect tackle to fell Lopez, but the Spanish player got right back up without releasing the ball and ran over the line.

Referee Rasta Rasivhenge, one of the most highly-regarded in the world, completely missed it and awarded the try. Test was livid, rightly, but there was nothing to be done and the game was tied 12-12.

Test had come on along with Chris Wyles, Andrew Durutalo, and Maka Unufe, and those four, along with the other three - Iosefo, Hughes, and Ben Pinkelman - all got involved in the next movement, that ended with Unufe strolling over. It was probably the best team try by the USA in Rio.

Wyles got his first Olympic points with the conversion and the Eagles led 19-12.

With time winding down, Test sadly had to leave with a possible concussion - he was pretty miffed about having to leave - and Garrett Bender came back on for him. Isles was also back on for Unufe, and that was telling as the wing had one more shot.

The Spanish bottled Isles up at first, but his outlet pass was a good one and Durutalo surged forward before passing back to Isles, who simply took off and the Spain defenders had no chance.

And that was it, 24-12. the USA Olympic odyssey is over with a 9th-place finish, and certainly a thought of what might have been.

USA 14 Argentina 17

USA 26 Brazil 0

USA 19 Fiji 24

USA 24 Brazil 12

USA 24 

Tries: Barrett, Isles 2, Unufe

Convs: Hughes, Wyles

Spain 12

Tries: Lopez, Fontes de Castro

Convs: Genua Sistiaga