Carlyle from game one / Photo: Mike Lee (KLC fotos) for World Rugby
After a 21-14 win over Spain, the USA is 2-0 at the Paris 7s, the final stop on the 2017-18 HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series. It was a tense ending, as the victory was sealed in injury time.
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The game started well, as Abby Gustaitis did her magic in the air and worked the kickoff to Kristen Thomas. The ball moved through the hands and the Eagles were one pass away from putting Ryan Carlyle down the sideline for a shot at five points, but the ball went forward into touch. Scrumhalf Nicole Heavirland continued to exert great pressure off the scrum and stuffed Patricia Garcia’s outlet pass, driving the ball back into traffic where a not-releasing penalty followed.
Alev Kelter kicked for the lineout and a perfectly executed set piece inside Spain’s 22 followed. The ball moved to flyhalf Lauren Doyle, who considered the short pass to Kelter on an inside line, but instead pulled it in and looped into the gap for the centered try. Heavirland added the conversion for the 7-0 lead.
Spain answered quickly through captain extraordinaire Garcia, but the USA defense did well to funnel her to the sideline. An ill-executed cross-field kick followed and Carlyle collected it cleanly to restart the Eagle attack near mid-field. The ball worked to the opposite edge, where Kelter pushed off two defenders for the try, which the center converted, 14-0, with approximately two minutes left in the half.
Spain struggled in the restart but a holding penalty allowed Garcia to go quickly and set up Marina Bravo down the sideline. While the referee played advantage, the hard step of Iera Echebarria stalled her opposite for a break up the middle. She didn’t work the 2-on-1 for the easy try, but the recycle saw Elisabet Martinez Garcia pick up for the try, 14-7 with scrumhalf Garcia’s conversion.
There was time for one more restart and passage of play, and it didn’t look like much would come of it as an errant pass skittered deeper into the USA’s end. But Cheta Emba did well to collect the ball and weave into open space to the point where a final pass to Kelter on the sideline would have seen, potentially, another try. But the pass didn’t connect and there the half ended.
Naya Tapper started the second half with a solid return off the kickoff, but the ball was ripped forward to change possession. A series of penalties followed in quick succession, and a final not-10 put Kelter in the bin. With a player advantage and only 10 meters to go to the try line, simple hands would have done the trick, but Spain opted for a skip pass out wide, and Emba was there to smother Barbara Pla. Heavirland was in quick support and forced a not-releasing penalty, and her kick to touch relieved the immediate pressure.
Spain, unlike Japan, was going to beat out wide, especially with a player advantage, and an attempt to take the sideline was pushed into touch. The lineout moved to Pla and the center went around her opposite easily for the centered try, 14-all with Garcia’s conversion.
Patricia Garcia against France / Mike Lee (KLC fotos) for World Rugby
There were three minutes to go and the USA was back at full strength. The Eagles drew an offsides penalty as Jordan Gray attacked up the sideline, and Kelter planted a beauty of a kick to Spain’s five meter. Naya Tapper sat at the back of the lineout, and the wing took the pop pass around the short side in an attempt to power over the line. Garcia, unintimidated, managed to bundle Tapper into touch, a pretty impressive feat.
A lineout and penalty allowed Garcia to kick to Spain’s 40 meter, and there was no time on the clock when the final lineout ball soared through the air and out to the back line. Kelter was brutal in the ruck, nearly getting her hands on the ball and peeling out of contact to make the next tackle. When the ball did move away, sub Joanne Fa’avesi flew off the line for a big tackle and to get Spain retreating faster. The defense smelled blood and when the ball skirted out of the ruck, Heavirland pounced and scooped it up for the unchallenged try, 21-14 with the conversion.
Final game of the day is against France, which defeated Spain 20-0 and Japan 26-17 through the first two rounds. earlier today. Kickoff is at 12:18 p.m. Pacific.