USA Wins Plate in South Africa
USA Wins Plate in South Africa
The USA Men’s 7s team leave Port Elizabeth, South Africa with a well-earned Plate victory and a bump up to 9th in World Rugby HSBC Sevens World Series Standings.
The USA lost 28-7 to New Zealand in the Cup Quarterfinals. A long-range run from Carlin Isles, in which he beat several defenders, made the first half close at 14-7. But The All Blacks 7s punished USA errors and turnovers too clinically.
So on to the Plate Semifinals, and there the USA beat Scotland 26-19 in a game that wasn’t that close, as Scotland scored with time expired. Scotland scored the first try, but it took them several minutes to work their way through the USA defense. Soon thereafter the Eagles replied by getting the ball to Isles. The speedy wing had support, and a lot of space on his right, which he used to curve around the Scottish defenders and run 50 meters.
That made it 5-5, and soon it was 12-5 when Madison Hughes took a wide pass rom Zach Test, sidestepped through a gap, and used Isles as a decoy before scoring to make it 12-5.
That ended the half. Scotland began the second half on the front foot and eventually scored on a quick tap - James Johnstone powering over under the posts to make it 12-12 with the conversion.
But it was mostly USA after that. They just passed down the line to Isles on his own 22, who ran outside then inside for his best try of the weekend, and then a smart inside pass from Andrew Durutalo to Martin Iosefo put the game out of reach. Scotland scored with the game done, so the USA advanced 26-19.
In the Plate Final the USA shocked Fiji with two early tries. Durutalo intercepted a Fiji pass, and the ball was sent quickly to Isles, who turned on the jets for a try. Folau Niua’s sideline conversion made it 7-0. The Eagles won the restart through Maka Unufe and after a few phases Durutalo pushed over after tapping quickly on a penalty. Niua made another difficult conversion to make it 14-0.
Fiji rebounded after that, dominating possession and scoring twice, and they looked for all the world like they might take the game. With the score 14-14 Fiji burst through for one more attack. But Danny Barrett forced a knock-on in a tackle. That was crucial. With a scrum deep inside their 22 the USA turned the game around. Hughes took the won scrum ball, skated wide and then thumped a kick way downfield. Perry Baker, on for Isles, got on his horse and as the Fijian cover defense fumbled the ball he gathered it and scored under the posts.
Up 21-14 the USA still had to hang on. A kick into the USA 22 needed Hughes make an excellent recovery and consolidate long enough to rescue the game.
For the Eagles it was a big weekend. They moved past Wales and France in the standings, and are now just one point behind Scotland and three behind Samoa. They fixed several of their problems from a week ago, and benefitted from an unselfish, and smart performance from Zack Test. Barrett was a force up front, Unufe useful all over the field, and they all exploited the speed they have out wide.
Hughes finished 4th in the tournament in points scored, and Isles scored six tries to lead the team. But more importantly, the Eagles showed they can beat some really strong teams, including Fiji and Wales.
