While Australia defeated Fiji to win the Hong Kong 7s, the USA returns home having finished a pretty creditable 6th.

To get to that 6th place the Eagles needed to win one game on Day Three, and they did that, putting in their best defensive showing in the 5th-6th semifinal.

Quarterfinals

Having finished pool play 2-1, the USA entered the quarterfinals against France. And while France was a bit more powerful, certainly a bit more polished, and were riding the try-scoring momentum of Aaron Grandidier, they were also a bit lucky.

France had trouble kicking the USA free. After the restart following France's opening try failed to go 10 meters, Perry Baker nabbed the bouncing ball, catching the French napping, and raced 59.5 meters to score. Baker wold turn a 21-7 score into 21-14 after running a switch with Marcus Tupuola and scoring from about 50. 

But, weirdly, they ran afoul of referee Reuben Keane, especially the newer players. Ben Broselle seemed truly bewildered at penalties saying he was off his feet in the ruck when he seemed not to be. Those calls are often 50-50, but a key call came late. With the score 21-14, Noah Brown went into contact. His knees hit the ground and he was dragged by French defenders who never released him. Somehow Keane saw fit to penalize Brown for not releasing, when it was clear that the first thing expected in a tackle, releasing of the tackled player, did not happen.

France scored after that. Would the USA have lost but for that call? Probably not. They also had trouble constructing attacks and France is on-form, but that call was puzzling.

Grandidier, by the way, ended the tournament with an astounding 11 tries.

5th-6th Semifinals

In their best defensive effort, with Aaron Cummings and Malachi Esdale leading the way with the power and frequency of their tackles, the USA held a very good Ireland team to one try. Gavan D'Amore opened the scoring after a nicely-worked back-and-forth between Tupuola and Cody Melphy left four Irishmen looking at Melphy and no one looking at D'Amore. Melphy sent him a pass and the former AIC All American chugged 80 meters to score.

With Ireland down a man due to a yellow card from an intentional knock-on, the Americans took advantage. While they failed to set free Baker, Tupuola once again made a crucial play, keeping the ball in play and firing back to his support. Baker then drew the attention of two defenders and put Esdale through the gap.