Photo: Michael Lee / KLC fotos for World Rugby •
The USA Women 7s team defeated Spain 20-5 in round three of the Sydney 7s and thereby qualified for tomorrow’s Cup competition. The Eagles finished 2-1 in Pool C and will play the Pool B runner-up, Ireland, in the Cup quarterfinals.
There were two particular highlights in this match. First, the American defense and the work in the breakdown were aggressive and disruptive. Second, USA 15s prop Hope Rogers got her first minutes of the HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series, and she helped set up two tries.
The Eagles got its first score within the opening minute. Spain took the kickoff for a nice run, but it was slowly supported and Naya Tapper got her hands on the ball to draw a not-releasing penalty. The ball then moved wide to Kristen Thomas on the wing, she fended her opposite, and legged out the try, 5-0.
Three consecutive penalties put Spain in striking distance, but the third one (not 10) sent Cheta Emba to the sin bin. Patricia Garcia tapped through, committed her defenders and found Iera Echebarria with a lane to the try zone, 5-5.
Still a player down, the USA had an opportunity to get out of its end when Alev Kelter drew a penalty on the restart. But a timing issue produced a knock-on during the penalty play and put the Eagles back on defense. Fortunately, players like Kelter and Kelly Griffin were able to disrupt Spain’s flow with some solid work at the contact area, and the USA didn’t surrender any more points while a player down.
Rogers took the pitch in the second half, and although she wasn’t of the field for long, she made her minutes count. Cheta Emba gathered the kickoff, and Rogers got her first touch. By the time she popped back up from the first tackle and continued rumbling along the sideline, she’d committed several defenders. It opened up room for an offload to Nicole Heavirland, who connected with Joanne Fa’avesi for the try, 10-5.
During the next series, Rogers set up at center on defense and was there for her opposite’s unforced knock-on. Tapper scooped up the ball for another tackler-shaking run, and Rogers continued the drive with another defense-swarming run. A phase later, Kelter kept the go-forward in motion and got past two Spanish players for the try.
Emba knocked back the subsequent restart with force, and as the ball rolled deep into the USA’s territory, one wondered if the possession was worth it. But then the ball moved to Tapper who beat her opposites again … until the attempted one-handed grounding that ended in a knock-on.
Spain’s relief was short-lived, though, as Tapper ended the day with a stop-and-start try, her third of the day, for the 20-5 win.
USA 20
Tries: Thomas, Fa’avesi, Kelter, Tapper
Spain 5
Tries: Echebarria