The USA went to work against Brazil, winning its opening match 27-0 in the Glendale, Colo., the first stop on the 2019-20 HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series. Ireland, which lost its opener 28-7 to France, awaits in round two at 1:43 p.m. MT.
The Eagles took the opening kickoff and a missed connection out wide resulted in a turnover and Brazil scrum in the USA’s end. As the ball moved wide, Naya Tapper got over the tackle and drove off two defenders to turn over possession. The Eagles quickly moved the ball wide, Alev Kelter took the pass back inside for the break into Brazil’s end. The recycle moved to the opposite sideline for Nicole Heavirland to dive into the corner, 5-0.
The Americans were very effective in converting penalty opportunities and turnovers into quick points. When Brazil’s midfield lineout wasn’t straight, the USA used the subsequent scrum to put the ball in Tapper’s hands and then work it back to the middle for Ilona Maher to power through for the try, 10-0.
Although the Eagles took a couple of penalties the defense did well to keep play in Brazil’s end. An offsides allowed Brazil to reset, and then Maher got her hands on the ball to draw a not-releasing penalty in good field position. The lineout inside the 22 was beautifully done, and the ball moved to Kelter, who cut back inside for the dive-over try and conversion: 17-0 at halftime.
“You love it. We’ve been doing a lot of problem-solving at training at the moment so it’s a lot of transition play. So for them to turn from defense to attack, they’re doing pretty well, and we’re seeing it come through from training,” USA 7s head coach Chris Brown said of the turnover precision.
“We weren’t clean around the breakdown so it just made it hard for us to be really confident. … So that’s what we needed to tidy up,” the coach recounted the halftime conversation. “And on the attack side, let the ball do the work so we’re not second guessing ourselves.”
The beginning of the second half saw Brazil attempting to run out of its end and it looked like USA co-captain Lauren Doyle was going to scoop up a missed pass in for a try. But a knock-on resulted and then Brazil made ground with back-to-back penalties. Raquel Kochhann did well to make meters in tight, but then Heavirland got over the ball quickly to draw the not-releasing penalty.
The tap moved to Jordan Matyas, who sucked in the defense, and then hit Kristi Kirshe for the step and long-range try, 22-0.
Eti Haungatau took the pitch for a first 7s cap and after another turnover, the ball moved to the teenager for a defender-dragging run near the sideline. Once Haungatau hit the ground, the ball with great efficiency to Matyas on the opposite sideline for the fast try: 27-0.
“We need to get ourselves into this tournament so I’m pretty happy with where we’re at,” Brown said of a first run-out. “We tidied up a few things to make ourselves a little more effective so they don’t have to work so hard. It was really lovely to see that last try how we shifted the ball to space. We really punched on quite aggressively so that’s a positive start for us.”
“It’s great to get them out there so they can find their way into the tournament,” Brown said of newer players. “I’m looking forward to seeing Eti come alive and a couple of the youngsters as they get more experience throughout the tournament and I’m sure the nerves will die down a little bit.”
The Americans had their work faces on, and although certainly happy with the opening win, looked tasked oriented.
“They love to be at home. They love to be in front of their family,” Brown said of the players’ sentiments playing in Glendale. “But we know it’s vital that stay focused on the process and we stay tight as a unit and not get distracted by those things because it’s only additional pressure when you’re at home.”
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