The USA Rugby Women’s National Team (7) has spent four hot days in Kitakyushu, and on the evening of Sunday, Aug. 11, played the first of two tests against Japan (11) inside inside Mikuni World Stadium. Lead changes punctuated the 80 grueling minutes in 90-degree temperatures, and by game’s end, the teams finished with a 17-17 draw.

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“We knew the match would be tough. We knew Sakura 15 would play for 80 minutes and that’s exactly what happened,” USA WNT head coach Sione Fukofuka said of the draw. “Japan are a very physical side in terms of speed to ball, very good at the breakdown, and great work rate, so it makes it really challenging to keep the ball in play and to find space. That’s how it turned out today, they put pressure at breakdown.”

Both teams worked a kicking game, and Japan always had enough personnel covering as McKenzie Hawkins, Tess Feury and Gabby Cantorna searched for space. The home side was a bit more dynamic in open play, able to place the ball between defenders, and 12 minutes in that advantage helped set up the game’s first try. A USA goal-line dropkick went directly into touch, and Japan capitalized on the opportunity to maul a five-meter lineout into the try zone. The sideline conversion was successful: 7-0 to Japan.

 

 

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Under the watchful eye of assistant coach Sarah Chobot, the USA enjoyed an advantage in the scrum and earned three penalties with the set piece in the opening 25. The Americans played with good territory, but some handling errors and a devout Japanese defense kept the try line untouched. Both sides actually struggled with handling, as the humidity made the ball quite slippery.

Near the 28-minute mark, Cantorna sent a penalty kick to the Japan five meter, and a superb, one-handed grab from No. 8 Freda Tafuna reined in the lineout throw. Vice captain Kathryn Treder controlled the ball at the back of the maul and peeled off at the right moment for the try. The team’s celebrations were halted, however, when a TMO review revealed an unintentional obstruction. Try recalled.

Although a heart-breaker, the USA was still in good territory. Japan reset with the scrum and cleared to its 30. The USA executed its lineout and worked steady phases to the 10 — that’s where scrumhalf Olivia Ortiz broke off the ruck, spied a sliding defense, and cut back for the fast, centered try. Hawkins added the extras for a 7-7 tie after 30 minutes.

Japan answered off the restart with a big break into U.S. territory, and later blocked a Hawkins attempt to clear. There was a slight knock-on in the pickup, and the Eagles regrouped with a scrum. Tafuna broke off the back but the support was too lean for counter-ruck, and Japan drew a penalty. The ball moved wide quickly and a corner try followed: 12-7 to Japan.

With minutes remaining in the half, the U.S. regained momentum and was attacking near midfield. A Japanese defender was slow off the ground and Ortiz wisely tripped over the road block for the penalty. Hawkins kicked downfield to set up a lineout inside the 22, and a flawless set piece followed. Tafuna peeled off the back and got to the try line, and then after a few pummeling phases, Ortiz whipped the ball wide to Summer Harris-Jones, who was unguarded on the wing, for the try. Hawkins nailed the sideline conversion for the 14-12 edge into the break.

 

The next lead change occurred five minutes into the second half. Japan pressured from the kick off, but the USA defense responded well in its red zone. A kick-through injected some terror/excitement, but Tafuna was on the hunt and the ball ricocheted off her knee out the back. Japan reset with a five-meter lineout, drove it to the line, and dotted down its third try. The tough conversion hit the upright: 17-14 to Japan.

The scoreboard didn’t tick over for another 30 minutes. In between, the USA had its highlights. There were some fun connections up through middle — Erica Jarrell breaking two tackles and linking with fellow lock Hallie Taufoou for an open-field break. Catie Benson was the next in line for an offload, then Ortiz and Feury. That series ended in a knock-on, but it was an important lift.

Japan played with some adventure, especially in broken play, and was able to loop and build overloads out wide. But deeper into the match, the USA defense started getting in the host’s face a bit more. Taufoou, Emily Henrich and replacement scrumhalf Sophie Pyrz all blocked Japan’s attempts to clear its lines, and that shifted the energy. So did a driving maul at midfield that went on a 15-20-meter trek.

 

 

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The bench did its job as well. Pace-pushing Pyrz, fellow Rhinos/Life West player Emerson Allen, and incoming USA 7s resident Sariah Ibarra joined the pitch for their first-ever USA 15s caps. Ibarra impressed on her first touch of the ball. She grounded a Japan kick-through into the try zone, but on offense, the teenager took a flat pass in front of the U.S. try line and ran the Eagles out of danger before linking with Taufoou. Unintimidated.

With five minutes to play, Japan hurt itself with an overthrown lineout that flanker Tahlia Brody gathered at pace, and then an offsides penalty at the ruck kept the USA on attack. Hawkins kicked to touch to set up a lineout, and reserve hooker Paige Stathopoulos hit the back pod for a second-straight time. A knock-on in the tackle ended a set of phases, and the teams started resetting for a scrum, but then the center ref awarded the USA with a penalty. The mark was dead center, approximately 22 meters out, and Hawkins called for the tee.

 

The flyhalf nailed the three-pointer to tie it up 17-17, and that’s where the game ended minutes later.

“It was definitely a tough match,” USA captain Feury said. “We let ourselves down and we had a game plan and unfortunately didn’t execute it into all areas. We definitely have some big takeaways into next week.

“We’re lucky we get another shot next week which is super exciting,” the fullback said of the Aug. 18 match in Shizuoka. We definitely want to clean up our breakdown. The Japanese team came up physical and we weren’t ready. So we have a few days to prepare now so we’re gonna go back to work.”

Fukofuka echoed Feury’s sentiments.

“Next week we’re going to work on our attacking breakdown, attacking quicker, using the ball more, finding edges in space and taking more advantage of our lineout and maul,” the coach said of work-ons.

Tune into RugbyPassTV for the free livestream and rematch of the USA and Japan on Saturday, Aug. 17. Kickoff is again at 5 a.m. ET.

USA Roster v Japan | 8/11/24

USA Women’s Eagles Staff

Head Coach | Sione Fukofuka
Assistant Coach | Mel Bosman
Assistant Coach | Sarah Chobot
Team Doctor | Derek Hatfield
Head Athletic Trainer | Emily Lauer
ATC | Sam Malette
Lead Physical Performance Coach | Sylvia Braaten
Analyst | Caitlin Singletary
Team Manager | Lindsay Wilson

2024 Japan Tour

August 11 @ Kitakyushu, Japan
USA 17-17 Japan
Tries: Olivia Ortiz, Summer Harris-Jones
Cons: McKenzie Hawkins 2
PKs: Hawkins

SAT August 17 @ Shizuoka, Japan
5am ET • Watch Live on RugbyPassTV
USA v Japan