The USA defeated Canada 15-13 in a wild finish at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, BC Monday to take 5th in the Pacific Nations Cup.

The Eagles did not score a try, and while the Eagles led most of the game, they were behind from the 71st minute until just before the end.

The USA started the game on defense and did well, with AJ MacGinty right in the thick of the contact.

But while they earned a scrum by forcing a knock-on, Danny Barrett was soled on the eight man pick - Kyle Gilmour doing well to rein him in, and the swarming Canadian forwards forced a USA penalty, which flyhalf Liam Underwood easily put over. The Eagles came right back to win the restart and almost scored when Chris Wyles took an outside gap. But once again the USA finishing left something to be desired. A Canadian hand blocked a Scott LaValla pass, and while Canada knocked on, the Eagles lost a prime scoring chance with a free kick called against their pack at put-in time.

But the Eagles came right back, with Andrew Suniula getting them through the gain line and Scott LaValla almost to pay dirt. Eventually Canada was offside, and MacGinty hit the easy kick.

Canada was on the offensive after that, and benefited from a couple of penalties against the USA. But their biggest opportunity came when a Canadian kick to space was flyh-hacked along by Conor Trainor. It was all mayhem after that but Canada couldn’t quite control it.

The Eagles relieved pressure and a which box kick from Mike Petri saw Harry Jones lose it in the sun and knock the ball on. That led to a scrum, which led to a penalty, which MacGinty put over. 

That made it 6-3 at about 20 minutes, and MacGinty almost made it 11-3 with a side-stepping move set up by a rumbling,stumbling break by Seamus Kelly. But the flyhalf passed to a Canadian instead of an American. It might not have mattered, though, as the play was eventually called back for an infraction by Greg Peterson, and the big lock got a yellow card for his pains.

Down a man, the Eagles were on the defensive, but in the Canadian half, and good work on D produced a penalty that MacGinty put over without any trouble. 9-3 at 26 minutes.

The USA defense was in full force as Peterson’s ten-minute vacation went on, with LaValla, Andrew Suniula, and Zack Test making some big tackles. Eventually, while Canada made ground, they were undone by Andrew Durutalo being really quick to poach the ball, and that produced a penalty. The Eagles ook the lineout and mauled it, and Canada came around the side. So, another lineout, another maul, and another penalty, this time with the chaser being that Canada flanker John Moonlight was yellow carded. MacGinty slotted the kick, and the USA lead was a commanding 12-3.

The Eagles were quickly back on the front food but Canada stopped them and mounted one of their better attacks of the first half. However, a handling error ended that, and the first 40.

In the second half, Canada looked much better. They were intense in the rucks and worked the phases more successfully. The USA defense was good, but a lackadaisical passing movement by the forwards allowed Canada hooker Aaron Carpenter to intercept. He almost scored, bu the USA cover defense was there.

"We did very well in our awareness of what to do on the field," said USA attack coach Nate Osborne. "We got out of our own 22 really well."

They did so here. However, indiscipline reared its ugly head as USA No.8  Danny Barrett was pinged for a hit on Canada wing Jeff Hassler. Hassler had run into Barrett and Barrett had hit the wing back, and earned a yellow card in the process.

 

But still the USA held, and held even when a Petri box kick went backwards and turned an attacking position for the Eagles into a Canada chance. Petri was strong in the first half but was hit at the base of the ruck a few times in the second as he seemed to be of two minds as to what to do. The USA did better when launching their attacks off MacGinty at flyhalf.

Canada edged closer with a penalty, and seemed inches from a try, but it wouldn't come. But when MacGinty launched a high ball and tackled the Canada player in the air, it seemed like once again the Eagles were handing the game to Canada.

"Well we didn't want to play 30 minutes down to 14 men, but we did, and the guys held on," said USA Coach Mike Tolkin. 

So they did. In fact, with Chris Wyles stepping in as first receiver, Seamus Kelly worked a switch move off him and rambled 50 meters. Kelly had John Quill with him, but they couldn't get it over. And then Kelly was guilty of being too impatient, and tried to crawl over the line - he was penalized for holding on. The USA seemed set to get a try there, but lost that chance, and moments later, a long wiper kick from Wyles was taken by the Canadian backs and worked nicely down the right tramlines for a try for sub Nick Blevins. Liam Underwood hit the touchline conversion, and with about eight minutes to go, after leading the entire game, the USA was down 13-12.

"We just talked about trusting our pattern and being patient with it," said prop Eric Fry. "We knew in the first half we needed tries, but we also knew at the end we needed points. We wanted to play intelligent rugby and in the second half we fell a bit short, but at the end it was about composure. It's easy to just rile everybody up, but it was about execution and focus. We have a game plan that's working."

So the Eagles went back to work. They saw three promising attacks go by the wayside - two players put into touch and one ball lost in contact. But every time their defense got the ball back. Finally, from a scrum inside the Canadian half, they moved the ball, using Thretton Palamo to bust the line, and the forwards to work it up. They came close to a try, but in the end, MacGinty stood in front of the posts with a perfect drop goal opportunity. The young flyhalf made no mistake.

"That's a testment to him as a player," said USA captian Chris Wyles. "AJ is a smart rugby player and he saw the opportunity and he took it, and the genius is in the results, because it worked."

Now it was 15-13, but Canada had one more shot, and their composure failed tham, as the restart didn't go ten meters. That was enough. Referee Alex Ruiz ended the game.

For the Eagles, it was a famous victory akin to the 2003 16-11 win in Vancouver. For Canada it was frustration. But both teams had opportunities to do more. Both teams gave an all-out effort. Both teams have more to give.

USA 15

Pens: MacGinty 4

DGs MacGinty

 

Canada 13

Tries: Blevins

Convs: Underwood

Pens: Underwood 2