Photo: Mike Lee – KLC fotos for World Rugby
The USA Women 7s team opened up the Sydney 7s, the second stop on the HSBC Women’s Sevens Series, with a 28-24 loss to England. England has won 11 of 17 7s games against the Eagles.
RELATED: Watch the Sydney 7s Live
England did well early on to capitalize on USA mistakes and finish out opportunities. Alev Kelter’s kickoff didn’t go 10 meters, and while the Eagle defense did exert a ton of pressure, England remained patient. The ball moved wide, where Heather Fisher broke a tackle and planted a solid stiff-arm to cross the line. Holly Aitchison, who led the match with 11 points, kicked the first of her three conversions, 7-0.
Minutes later, Aitchison was standing back in front of the posts, as a knock-on in a tackle put the ball back in England’s hands. The ball moved quickly to the middle of the pitch, and she tore into the open space for a converted try, 14-0 after three minutes.
Emily Scarratt turned over the subsequent restart, but then Ryan Carlyle stole it back, popping to her feet after a tackle for the steal. A couple of turnovers followed, but play was now back at the 50 meter. Scrumhalf Heavirland was really effective poaching England’s scrum, and the ball eventually moved wide to Naya Tapper. Lydia Thompson had the wing well lined up but went too high on Tapper, who fended her opposite for the try, which Kelter converted, 14-7 at halftime.
Shortly after the break, it looked like a ripe opportunity was lost when a fast-up defense forced a knock-on while the USA was attacking in England’s end. Heavirland again turned over England’s scrum and hooker Carlyle tore down the weak side for a solid break. The ball swung back to the opposite side, and replacement Cheta Emba got the ball out of the tackle to Tapper switching back inside. The wing scored her second of three tries, and Kelter converted for the 14-14 scoreline.
Then we got a better idea of what Aitchison brings to the pitch. She’s the conversion kicker, she’s a try-scorer, and as she showed in Jess Breach’s try, she’s a playmaker. Only 20 years old, she side-stepped her way into open space and manipulated the scrambling defense perfectly, waiting for the right moment to hit the flyer Breach on the wing, 21-14 with the conversion.
And then Hope Rogers. Remember her 7s debut at the 2017 Sydney 7s? Well, her 2018 return looked very similar. On her first touch of the ball, she broke down the sideline, was tackled three times, popped to her feet three times, and then offloaded to Kelter for the cut back inside and try, 21-19. The prop looked pretty good in her first outing since surgery.
The teams traded tries before the buzzer, with England pulling ahead on another Breach try and Emily Scott conversion, and Tapper getting her third score. Both teams scored four tries, but England’s conversions made the difference, 28-24.
The Eagles will retake the pitch against Japan at 6:28 p.m. Pacific.
USA 24
Tries: Tapper 3, Kelter
Cons: Kelter 2
England 28
Tries: Breach 2, Fisher, Aitchison
Cons: Aitchison 3, Scott
USA starters: Gray, Carlyle, Gustaitis, Blythe, Heavirland, Kelter, Tapper