Cheta Emba and Nia Toliver / Photo: Alex Ho (hoiho.net)
The USA Women’s 7s program capped 2020 with an intra-squad exhibition match (rewatch Stars vs. Stripes), live-streamed from the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center in Southern California. The 14-minute contest was so good – dense with connected, aggressive, fast-paced action – that the final whistle added another dimension of despair in this rugby-less age. No, wait, I wasn’t ready to say, “Goodbye!”
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Eagle Meya Bizer joined Brian Vizard on the mic and was a superb addition to the commentators’ booth. She viewed the action through the lens of a current resident, making her narration particularly insightful. She noted that, due to Covid-19 precautions, today’s game was only the second run-out for the entire squad. The team created a bubble environment earlier in the fall and scrimmaged, but otherwise, the players have operated in small training groups. The tactic allows for partial, not complete, shutdown of a program should someone contract the virus. Prior to matches, or anything that involves full-team contact, players and staff take a Covid-19 test 24 hours in advance.
The game that evolved, however, did not suggest a modified training environment had preceded it. There were no jittery opening minutes or unforced errors that grate. It was hard launches, stretching passes and tight support. Obviously there were mistakes and a couple of penalties, but more often than not, those stoppages were the result of an aggressive defense performing well.
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Former USA 7s and 15s Eagle Deven O’Crump (formerly Owsiany) served as head ref and the Stars (blue) began the game with a nicely weighted Nicole Heavirland kickoff. Cheta Emba quickly reminded the viewership of her superb aerial skills and her tap-back gave possession to the Stripes (red). Some sideline-to-sideline phases opened up a tiny gap in the middle of the field, and Naya Tapper chopped through it for a long-range, centered try, which Kayla Canett converted, 7-0.
Alena Olsen’s restart was just short and the Stars moved through the 50-meter mark quickly. Jordan Matyas charged forward, with her rangy arms extended beyond the tackle and her head ever on a swivel looking for the offload. The ball worked to captain Kristi Kirshe, whom Bizer affectionately called “bowling ball,” for the try, which Heavirland converted, 7-all.
The scoring pattern continued. Emba broke the line with Stripes’ teammate Kasey McCravey in support and Stars’ Kirshe in pursuit. The 2 vs. 1 dance ended at the five meter, where Kirshe tackled Emba, but it was a quick pop to the feet for the try. Stripes led 14-7 with the McCravey conversion.
Stripes captain Abby Gustaitis piled on the pressure from the subsequent restart but just knocked the ball forward in the attempted poach. The Stars’ scrum was messy but Lauren Doyle – who was fantastic on defense today – did well to save a ball skittering out of the pile. The flyhalf got the ball to Ilona Maher, who plowed into Tapper and offloaded to Nia Toliver on the wing. The youngster ate up the sideline for the Heavirland-converted try, 14-all. Toliver and Dartmouth’s Ari Ray, whom Bizer praised as the quickest player in the group, were the youngest players on the pitch.
The final try of the half came after Doyle got over a tackle and forced a not-releasing penalty. The Stars countered quickly and kept the attack flowing with looping support and offloads. The flurry ended in an opposite-corner try from Doyle, 19-14 to the Stars.
The game restarted well for the Stripes, which kept their perfect 10-meter kickoff. There were a couple changes of possession – results of a turf-slip slowing support to a tackle, and a strong defensive launch forcing a knock-on. Some McCravey acrobatics through traffic put the Army officer into a little space, and she hit the on-running Tapper for try. Canett converted, 21-19 for the Stripes’ first lead of the game.
The Stars held onto the restart but another defense-pressured knock-on halted play. A penalty in the scrum, however, handed the ball back to the Stars and Matyas did well to make the opportunity count with another big north-south run. Support was slow and so the prop rolled the ball back toward teammates, but the recycle was clean and made it to Kirshe. The “little ball of muscle,” per Bizer, broke through for the try and go-ahead points, 26-21 with Heavirland’s conversion.
The Stripes had the opportunity to answer back before time expired. An offsides penalty at the ruck set up McCravey for a long break to the 50 meter. The ball worked to Emba with a bit of space and only Maher to confront. Emba opted for the kick and Stars reset with a lineout on their own 40. The possession ended with Matyas charging toward two defenders in space and, once they both bit, shipping the ball to Maher for the uncontested try. Heavirland converted to seal the 33-21 win.
Bizer praised the Stars’ ability to keep the ball alive through contact, and the Stripes’ wide attack that forced the defense into some tough choices and created attacking options. Stripes captain Gustaitis echoed Bizer’s feedback and critiqued her side’s defensive wall as well. She highlighted Canett for her playmaking role, Emba’s dominance, and the overall team’s commitment to physical play. Stars captain Kirshe noted that transitional play has been a focus for the team, and she was pleased with her side’s tiers of support. Kirshe called out Doyle as a work horse and defensive playmaker, and Maher and Toliver for their hard runs.
The USA Women’s 7s program will debrief and recover during the weekend, and then more scrimmages will occur on Monday and Tuesday. Livestreams will be unavailable, however. The group will disperse for the holidays starting Dec. 11.