It's 3rd place for the USA Men's 7s team in Cape Town after the Eagles defeated South Africa in the Bronze Medal match.
Led by a very strong tournament by Aaron Cummings, who demonstrated a massive work rate and filled in at several unglamorous moments to make it all work, and with Stephen Tomasin being a defensive stalwart, the Americans produced a fairly solid run of results, They beat Uganada and Great Britain by huge margins, tied Australia, shut down Fiji 17-7 thanks to their big men, and before losing to New Zealand thanks to two late tries.
That set up the 3rd-4th match with South Africa.
The offload game is a beautiful thing! #HSBC7s | #CapeTown7s | @USARugbypic.twitter.com/WLk7ZXY7DJ
— World Rugby 7s (@WorldRugby7s) December 11, 2022
Head Coach Mike Friday started Malachi Esdale, Cummings, David Still, Joe Schroeder, and Lance Williams in a big-man lineup designed to counter South Africa power. It seemed to work. Cummings seemed involved throughout the opening minutes and he was instrumental in the opening try. Marcus Tupuola sent a high pass to Cummings who somehow tapped it behind himself to Still. He basketball passed to a looping Tupuola, who sidestepped back infield for an improbable try.
Off the restart Cummings pushed South Africa into touch and Schroeder went quickly with the lineout throw. Esdale and Still ran a give-and-go and Esdale was in at the corner.
South Africa scored on a nifty kick-ass to close it to 10-7, but with time up in the first half Cummings ripped the ball out of a ballcarrier's hands and popped to the waiting Schroeder, and the big man was off for a lung-busting 60-meter charge and a 15-7 halftime lead.
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The Eagles kept up the pressure with some good runs from Tupuola and Cummings before Faitala Talapusi scored on a quick tap. The Eagles gave up one more score but held on—in fact they seemed to seal the game with a try as time expired but Still was too emphatic with his touch-down and lost control of the ball.
