Will Holder’s performance at fullback for the USA Saturday was a nice highlight for player, team, and fans.

The former West Point All American is in the USA 7s program, and has been capped at flyhalf, but looked very much at home in a #15 jersey.

“It was fun,” Holder told Goff Rugby Report. “It was a great new experience, and the guys made it easy for me.”

Holder fielded Italy’s many kicks nicely, and did some pretty effective kicking himself. On attack he was certainly dangerous, and set up the USA’s first try with a nice counter.

“When I  caught that ball I knew I had the #9 screaming down on me,” said Holder, referring to Italian scrumhalf Edoardo Gori. “I made him miss, and after that I just saw open space.”

Holder had support with him but delayed his pass a little too long, although the upshot was a penalty try as flyhalf Carlo Canna was deemed to have knocked the ball forward deliberately. 

Holder said he saw Canna coming in and thought that if he passed to his left, to James Hilterbrand, Canna might get him, and so opted to switch to his right to find Blaine Scully.

It all ended with a try anyway, and a 10-3 lead. The team, said Holder, didn’t get too confident after that.

“Going into the game we knew it was going to be a fight,” said the former East Palo Alto HS player. “It was all about re-set, and take it play-by-play. We had a good feeling that we had the lead, but we knew we had to make sure we’re keeping in the moment. We definitely felt we could have won it. We were putting them under pressure, and that blocked kick at the end looked like it might do it for us. We didn’t quite get there, but there were a lot of positives.”

Will Holder goes into contact against Italy with Andrew Durutalo in support. David Barpal photo.