Harris-Jones scored three tries (Photo: P Yates / World Rugby)
The Fast Four 7s series resumed in Canada, relocating from Vancouver to Edmonton, Alberta, this weekend. The USA and Canada faced each other in the opening round, and the home side rallied from a two-try deficit at half to end with a 26-26 tie. The Eagles will face Mexico (12:11 p.m. MDT) in round two, and Canada sees Great Britain (12:33 p.m. MDT).
Like the teams’ two encounters in Vancouver, Canada scored first, as 19-year-old Fancy Bermuda Chavez burst through the middle and pushed off two defenders to get the Americans scrambling. Sarah Levy retreated quickly for the tackle, but so did Renee Gonzalez, who got the offload for the try. Captain Olivia Apps converted for the 7-0 lead.
Jaz Gray took the restart and good connection between Steph Rovetti, Canett and captain Nana Fa’avesi put the ball in Summer Harris-Jones’ hands. The prop had made the most of every touch and ended the day with three tries. She stepped back inside Emma Chown, fended two Canadians and centered the score. Canett kicked the first of three conversions, 7-all.
The rest of the half belonged to the Americans. Fa’avesi forced Apps to hold onto the ball after the tackle, and the penalty tap moved to Levy angling toward Chown on the wing. As soon as Nakisa Levale came too far across, Levy hit the switch with Harris-Jones, who stepped the defense for a second solid try, which Canett converted: 14-7.
Sui A’au toward the line (Photo: P Yates / World Rugby)
The USA restart didn’t go 10 – which occurred a couple of times this game – but the USA regained possession after an offsides penalty around the tackle. The Eagles regrouped with a scrum at midfield and scrumhalf Canett attacked so fast off the set piece that an immediate overload formed. A skip pass to Rovetti put the center through a gap and she had the gas to beat Chown for the centered try, which Canett converted: 21-7.
Harris-Jones was yellow-carded for illegal contact with Olivia De Couvreur, the restart receiver. Nevertheless, the USA nearly put in another try before the break. Fa’avesi drew another not-releasing penalty in the tackle, and then quickly pitched the ball to Sui A’au, who powered to the five meter. Fa’avesi was there for support and broke weak for an attempt at the try line. Instead, Canada drove the captain into touch just before the offload to Canett, who would have scored. Sideline management was a work-on from last weekend, too, and would impact at least one USA possession in the second half.
The USA led 21-7 into the break but started the second half still down a player. A’au returned the kickoff well but Canada was quick over the ball for the not-releasing penalty. A fast attack sent Chown through the line but Gray was on the chase. The wing knocked the ball loose in the tackle, but the arm came over the top for a yellow card and penalty try: 21-14 to Canada.
The Americans were short-handed again but still managed to draw a penalty to reset with a scrum on its own 30 meter. Rovetti made good ground but support wasn’t there as the center was forced to the sideline. A frenetic heave back in-bounds kept the ball in the USA’s hands but Canada’s defense was there to up the confusion and drew a penalty in the breakdown. Again the Canadians went quickly from the mark and it was a confident Gonzalez who handled the defense. The former USA High School All-American turned around Fa’avesi and pushed through two sets of arm tackles for the try, 21-19.
Poulin en route to a try (Photo: P Yates / World Rugby)
Canada committed back-to-back penalties – not rolling and deliberate knock-on – during the next series, and the USA scrum set a good attacking platform. After a couple of phases, Harris-Jones cut back across Florence Symonds and Chloe Daniels, then pulled away from Apps to score directly under the posts. The USA switched up its conversion kickers, and the extras missed: 26-19 to the USA.
The restart didn’t go 10 and Canada took the ball with less than a minute to play. Sabrina Poulin had come off the bench and made the most of it, slipping through the defense for the try, which Apps converted: 26-all. The USA took the restart but after one play kicked the ball to touch, happy with the tie.
USA 26
Tries: Harris-Jones 3, Rovetti
Cons: Canett
CANADA 26
Tries: Gonzalez 2, Poulin, Bermuda Chavez
Cons: Apps 3