Photo: Alex Ho (hoiho.net)
The USA Women’s 7s team began its 2020 Tokyo Olympics with a 28-14 win against China. The teams were tied 7-all at the break, but two Kristi Kirshe tries gave the USA the cushion to finish out the round-one match. The Eagles will now face host Japan at 5 a.m. ET in round two.
“The biggest challenge for us will be finding a way to allow ourselves to be free in the moment,” USA 7s head coach Chris Brown looked ahead. “That’s the key to playing at our absolute best. When we stop trying to control the what ifs and focus on being present and loving the emotional roller coaster of the game, the result follows suit.”
The USA played a lot of defense in the first half. The Americans had a couple of penalties and some turnovers on the touch line, but China was also well connected out of contact and eager to attack. Early on, China attempted to build some flow off an attacking lineout, but vice captain Kris Thomas got hands on the ball for the steal. Just as quickly, China snatched the ball back, and a second high-tackle penalty extended the campaign into U.S. territory. China did well to keep its feet in contact and look for on-running support, and that allowed a fast Feifei Yang to break free. Just before the cover tackle, she hit Wanyu Wang for the try, and Keyi Chen converted for the 7-0 lead.
“It wasn’t easy at all, so it just showed us that every team is going to bring it and don’t doubt any team,” USA 7s prop Ilona Maher said. “Every game we play, the next game is the biggest game. I think we have one of the strongest teams America has ever put out. That was a little wake up call we needed, to play when it’s time to go. Every team is going to bring it, so I think each game we’re going to bring it more and more and you’ll see us getting better and better.”
China sent its restart deep, but the USA did not come away with possession. Naya Tapper, however, got over the ball and drew a not-releasing penalty, and the USA readied for its first run on attack. From the 40-meter scrum, the ball moved wide to Tapper, who made good ground and then offloaded to Alev Kelter for more gains. The ball worked back the other way, and it looked like the attacking opportunity was in trouble when the final pass to Thomas went behind the wing and hit the deck. The vice captain recouped nicely, though, and evaded the defense for the long-range try. Nicole Heavirland added the extras for the 7-all scoreline.
Kayla Canett brought poise to the second half / Photo: Alex Ho (hoiho.net)
Kelter sent another deep kick from the 50 meter, allowing China to hold onto possession easily and keeping the Eagles’ fine aerialists on the ground. After some offloading gains by China, Heavirland was able to scoop up a loose ball out of the ruck. It looked like a sideline breakaway from Tapper was in the making, but a knock-on resulted, as did the half.
Kristi Kirshe was on the pitch for the second half, and she made her powerful presence felt early on. A U.S. lineout ended in a tackle into touch, but the Americans reclaimed the ball after China knocked its own lineout into the Eagles’ hands. Kelter bullied her opposite defender and then connected with Kirshe, who outran her pursuit and centered the try, 14-7 with Heavirland’s conversion.
The Eagles were backtracking as a penalty and quick tap put the team on its heals, but a turnover allowed the team to reset with a scrum in its own end. The ball moved to Kirshe, who pushed off her defender, and then as Xiaoqian Liu closed the gap, she just sat down her chaser with a hefty stiff-arm. Kelter converted for the 21-7 lead and with less than two minutes remaining.
Some reserves had taken the pitch, and Kayla Canett was immediately visible. She sent a nice, high restart into the air, and that allowed two Eagles to go up and get hands on the ball. The tap-back was to no one, unfortunately, and China ran onto the ball for the break. Canett covered the breakaway, showing good poise to slow down the attack along the sideline, and Jordan Matyas hustled down-field to pressure the offload to support. It all worked out as China knocked on.
The subsequent USA scrum wasn’t to plan and China rushed up on defense. Somehow, Lauren Doyle was able to tap-dance around the defense and broke free for a long run. Three defenders were on the chase. She evaded one but was tracked down inside the 22. Fortunately, Canett was fast to the tackle, picked up the ball and dove over for the try, which she converted: 28-7.
China had the final word, however, as the USA restart didn’t go to hand. A kick-through the defense saw Chen run on, gather and score. Xiaoming Yu converted for the 28-14 final.