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Photos: Mike Lee / KLC fotos for World Rugby
The USA kicked off the final leg of the 2017-18 HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series in Paris with a 24-19 win over Japan. The Eagles now ready for Spain in round two of pool play at 12:12 p.m. Eastern / 9:12 a.m. Pacific.
The majority of the first half was played in Japan’s end, and that resulted in three tries and the first 17 points of the game for the USA. Alev Kelter’s opening kickoff went exactly 10 meters and Abby Gustaitis plucked it out of the air to give her side first attacking rights. Japan turned over the ball inside its 22 meter but an oppressive defense forced play back into Japan’s try zone. Naya Tapper made the tackle behind the line and Ryan Carlyle was right there to tap the ball down for the try, which Kelter converted, 7-0.
On the restart, Gustaitis was in a good position to gather a loose pass and regain possession, but a knock-on in a subsequent quick-tap penalty gave Japan the scrum on its 22. A bobbled pass handed the scrum back to the U.S., and the ball worked wide to Tapper, who was too strong to be tackled en route to the try, 12-0.
Tapper was instrumental in winning back possession following the restart, making the tackle out wide, popping to her feet and driving her opposite off the ruck. Kelter was there for the pickup and connected with Carlyle, who motored around the short side for a fend and try, 17-0 with Kelter’s conversion.
With approximately a minute left in the half, Japan held onto the ball long enough to score a try from its own end. It started with a switch out wide, and then the team’s trademark stepping and support game kept the USA defense scrambling. Yume Okuroda finished off the effort with a try and conversion, 17-7 into the break.
Carlyle did well to hold onto a hard-hitting kickoff, and the ball moved wide to Kristen Thomas, who came on for Tapper. The sub did her impact thing and scored a long-range try that Heavirland converted, 24-7.
The USA looked in prime position for another score, as Gustaitis again was crucial in securing the restart and an offsides penalty gave the Eagles the ball on Japan’s 22m. A knock-on in an attempted offload handed the ball back to Japan but the subsequent scrum did not go well. If it wasn’t for a high tackle penalty, Japan would have been in danger of another try against.
Instead, play returned to the 22. Cheta Emba nearly intercepted a pass but a knock-on handed Japan the scrum. When the ball made it’s way to Sayaka Suzuki, she just slipped between two defenders for an individual try, converted by Okuroda, 24-14.
A little show-and-go from Lauren Doyle saw the flyhalf return play to the 50 meter, but then a series of penalties – not releasing, high tackle, not rolling away – saw Japan five meters out from the USA try line. Raichielmiyo Bativakalolo took the final quick tap and try, 24-19 to end the game.
It was a very good start for the USA in a game where the team’s strength, size and strength out wide dictated the first half. But if Japan had found its groove earlier in the game, its ability to get behind the defense and cause havoc could have made the game even closer.