The USA is in the quarterfinals of the Hong Kong 7s after finishing pool play 2-1.

The Eagles did lose their final pool game against Fiji, although the 24-0 result wasn’t a typical Fijian avalanche. But then they had already beaten Japan.

USA 35 Japan 22

Japan scored right off the kickoff against Fiji, and came very close to doing the game when when Cody Melphy’s kick didn’t go 10 meters. However, as they did against Spain the USA defenders bent but did not break. The patience was rewarded with a knock-on and a scrum in their own 22.

From there Marcus Tupuola curved nicely through a gap and Malachi Esdale took a smart inside line to receive the offload and go 80 meters for a try.

A series of penalties after the restart saw Japan go in to make it 7-5, but right after that the USA responded. A rather ineffectual period of passes and phases suddenly ended up with Ben Broselle accelerated onto a floaty pass and was through under the posts. That made it 14-5 and by the end of the first half it was 21-5. The Japanese were able to get close, but as they played a little hot potato, Melphy was able to knock the ball back, regather, and send a backhanded offload to Perry Baker who took off for an old-school, long-range Baker special.

Penalties were the USA’s bête noir and when they committed them they did so in bunches. Japan exploited the infractions to score nicely in the corner. But the Eagles once again responded with a long-range try. Out of the USA 22 David Still took on three tacklers, refused to go down, then offloaded to Aaron Cummings, and the former Davenport start took off to go all the way.

Now it was 28-10 and the USA was in control. Head Coach Mike Friday ran on some replacements and we finally saw Noah Brown, Sam Walsh, and Will Chevalier get some time. Japan scored, Melphy scored on a long run off the restart, and then Japan scored at the end.

That last try was interesting in that the scorer, Ken Kurihara, and the player who tackled him to try to stop him, Walsh, were teammates at Cal.

USA 35
Tries: Esdale, Broselle, Perry, Cummings, Melphy
Convs: Melphy 5

Japan 22
Tries: Takushiji, Maruo, Fakushi, Kurihara
Convs: Yoshizawa