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USA Wins It All at Home

  • 07 Oct 2019
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The USA is the first tournament winner of the 2019-20 HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series, defeating Australia 26-7 in the final inside Infinity Park. The victory came after a 2-1 Day One, which ended with a 10-point loss to France, and then two nail-biting victories over Canada and New Zealand. Ilona Maher was named Player of the Final.

The USA got on the board two minutes in. Evania Pelite knocked the opening kickoff backward, putting play back in Australia’s 22. Alicia Lucas was penalized for not supporting her weight in the ruck, and so Jordan Matyas restarted play with a barreling run into the defense. Kelter followed suit, and then ball spun wide to Naya Tapper, who did really well to get back to her feet after the tackle and buy some time for the support. After a couple of punches in close, Kelter scored through the middle and added the conversion: 7-0 USA.

“It’s 7s rugby so it can go either way,” USA scrumhalf Nicole Heavirland said of the importance of first-try significance. “We don’t bank on the first try but having that momentum always helps.”

Australia was not deterred and it showed from the restart. A quick attack drew a penalty and then Ellia Green caused trouble out wide. She considered switching back inside but went around the back to beat the defense to the try line. Sharni Williams hit the extras for the 7-7 tie.

The Eagles got lucky after the next series, as Australia drew a not-releasing penalty in the tackle and a nice set play set up Green for an empty lane out wide. Emma Tonegato floated the pass forward to end the threat. The teams continued to challenge each other in the breakdown, punishing slow support with penalty turnovers.

Australia stole a USA lineout and as the hooter sounded attempted to run out of its 22. Australia got a little too comfortable in one ruck and so Lauren Doyle just dismantled it with a decisive hit. The co-captain came up with the ball and then a series of tight passes saw Cheta Emba, Abby Gustaitis and Kristi Kirshe go for the line. The ball then moved away to Ilona Maher who used that extra run-up to power over her opposite: 12-7 USA into the break.

“I think we saw a relentlessness in these girls in this final one,” USA Women 7s head coach Chris Brown said. “They were clear in what they needed to do. They got flustered at times in that first half but they responded really, really well. And that’s the ultimate goal. They’re not going to be perfect. The way the human mind works, there’s always going to be diversity and challenges that come. It’s how quickly can you recognize it and get yourself back into the present moment.”

Eti Haungatau returned to the pitch and made good use of the minutes. After a physical break near the sideline, Haungatau looped back around the ruck for the out-the-back pass from Gustaitis. Emba took the ball out wide for a break to the 10 meter, and Haungatau crossed the pitch in time to smother the Australia support.

Australia did return the ball for solid gains to the 50, and a clutch Kirshe pursuit tackle essentially saved that scoring opportunity. From the midfield scrum, the ball moved to Kirshe, who reversed direction and then hit Heavirland looping around. The move caught the defense by surprise and Heavirland tore away. Maher went on a couple of thumping runs to get closer, as did Emba, Tapper and Gustaitis. The final pop pass went to Heavirland for the dive-over try and conversion: 19-7.

Lucas was well positioned for a clean take on the restart but a big knock-on resulted, perhaps due to the sun. The USA scrum moved to Kirshe hitting at pace and splitting defenders, and while Pelite did well to cover, the attack was on. Emba made more ground and then Heavirland was there in support for a second try. Kelter hit the conversion: USA 26-7 Australia.

“It was just simple team tries really,” Heavirland deflected credit for the scores. “They did the work and then it was just easy opportunity and I saw the hole.”

There were more than two minutes to play but when the Eagles held onto the restart, the team shifted into game management mode. The highlight of the waning moments included a kick-and-chase with Pelite and Tapper, who corralled the ball. Good USA support saw Green crack with frustration and go offsides for the poach, and that was essentially the end.

The USA beat Australia 26-7 and picked up the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series where it ended last season: atop the podium with gold.

“It’s definitely a continuation. We’ve just built, built, built and hope to continue on,” Heavirland said of picking up from Paris.

“It feels pretty good,” the scrumhalf said of winning by a more comfortable margin. “It feels like everything is coming along, and it’s just a smile on my face and I can’t stop.”

No need to stop; the series picks up December 5-7 in Dubai.

USA7s #Glendale7s

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