Photo: Mike Lee / KLC fotos for World Rugby
The USA improved to 2-0 at the Hamilton 7s, the fourth stop on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series for the women, with a 34-7 win over Brazil. The Eagles will finish up pool play against Australia on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 3:51 p.m. ET.
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Brazil scored first, and the errors that led to that deficit seemed to galvanize the USA into an unrelenting response. The Eagles successfully retained restarts – Jordan Gray-Matyas was the star today – and that not only built confidence but provided lots of touches on the ball. The USA put down three tries in both halves.
The opening kickoff, however, went deep enough for Brazil to field the ball cleanly and launch its attack. A fend in the middle of the field saw the defense adjust and compensate, and Thalia Costa broke toward the sideline eying opportunity. The flyer slipped through Naya Tapper’s and Alev Kelter’s outstretched arms and pulled away for the long-range try, which Raquel Kochhann converted for the 7-0 lead.
The USA got to work. Eti Haungatau tied up the middle and Tapper did a good job of moving the ball with a lob over the defense to Kris Thomas out wide. The co-captain motored down field for the first Eagle try: 7-5 to Brazil.
Gray-Matyas tapped back the restart, Kayla Canett gathered, and the recycle moved to Steph Rovetti, who also had a good game against Brazil. The Fresno State grad sent a pass out the back to Thomas cutting back in, and then a finishing pass to Kelter saw the team’s leading scorer dot down the go-ahead points. Kelter converted for the 12-5 lead.
The USA kept another solid Kelter restart, while Brazil struggled to put someone in the air who could contend with the Eagles’ aerialists. Interplay between Haungatau, Thomas and Rovetti sucked in the defense, and once the movement halted, the Eagles smartly moved the ball wide. Canett pinned her opposite and then sent the final pass to Tapper for the try: 17-7 into the break.
Kochhann sent the second-half kickoff into touch and the USA made good on the gifted possession. Canett launched a set play from the 50, and the ball ended in Rovetti’s hands with Thomas on the outside. A glitch in the defense, and Rovetti was through, with only Costa to beat. A lovely stop-and-go gave Rovetti just enough space to win the race to the try line, 22-7.
Brazil got some time on offense as the USA gave up three consecutive USA penalties – sealing, not rolling away, (questionable) high tackle – but ended its own campaign with an unforced knock-on. From the scrum, the USA exhausted one sideline, and then sent good leading passes to the opposite sideline, allowing Rovetti to cut back across Costa for the line break and try. Nicole Heavirland converted for the 29-7 scoreline.
Gray-Matyas was at the epicenter of the final try, drawing a penalty shortly after the restart and then sucking in the defense to put teammates into space. During the final attacking series, Gray-Matyas sent a blind pass to Lauren Doyle running on, who then hit Rovetti, who found Maher for the final pass and try: 34-7.
The game essentially ended with a perfect 10-meter restart and Abby Gustaitis plucking the ball out of the air for the only clean steal.
There is no Cup quarterfinal round, and so the three pool winners and best second-place team will advance to the semifinals, so there is plenty to play for against Australia.
USA Starters: Kris Thomas, Jordan Gray-Matyas, Eti Haungatau, Alev Kelter, Naya Tapper, Kayla Canett, Steph Rovetti
USA 34
Tries: Rovetti 2, Tapper, Kelter, Maher, Thomas
Cons: Kelter, Heavirland
Brazil 7
Tries: Costa
Cons: Kochhann
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