The USA Women’s Sevens team took silver in Cape Town, the second stop on the HSBC SVNS series. The runner-up finish provided 18 standings points, and combined with the 12 from Dubai, the Eagles now sit in 4th place into the holiday break. More importantly, the USA has set an excellent foundation from which to grow as the LA 2028 quad launches. [All photos: Alex Ho @hoiho_photo for USA Rugby]
“I am so proud of the team and how they not only have attacked the last two weeks, but how they’ve attacked the last two months that we have been together,” USA Women’s Sevens Head Coach Emilie Bydwell said. “Early in preseason we talked about how this year was about forming a team, and building a foundation for our LA 2028 campaign. Our players immediately bought into the process and into the culture of our team that has been established while also taking the steps to make that culture their own.”
Kaylen Thomas / Photo: Alex Ho for World Rugby
Cape Town introduced a new format for matches, dividing the 12-team field into four pools of three. That meant just two pool play matches and thus providing just two matches, then semifinals and finals. The USA competed in Pool D and opened with a 31-0 win against Fiji, followed by a 31-14 victory against Great Britain. Nia Toliver led with four tries, while Alyssa Porter and Kaylen Thomas dotted down tries apiece. Ari Ramsey and Sarah Levy also scored, and Kayla Canett (4) and Sariah Ibarra (2) added conversions.
That set up a Cup semifinal against Australia. The two teams last met in Paris for the Olympics bronze medal. In that game, Spiff Sedrick broke the Aussies’ hearts with a game-ending try and conversion, and a similar outcome repeated itself in Cape Town. Australia established the first lead and held a 12-7 edge into halftime. Ramsey had scored the Americans’ first try. Sevens Player of the Year Maddison Levi extended the differential with a try and Teagan Levi’s conversion made it 19-7 with approximately five minutes to play.
Nia Toliver / Photo: Alex Ho for World Rugby
The USA answered with three-straight tries, one from Porter and two from Toliver, the second of which occurred at the death. Canett converted the first and last USA tries in the 24-19 win and the young Eagle team celebrated a berth to the Cup final.
The Eagles came out on fire against New Zealand, and Toliver and Porter scored within minutes of each other. Canett converted the latter for a 12-0 lead after three minutes. Properly stunned, New Zealand responded with two converted tries before the break (14-12), then added another two in the second stanza for the 26-12 win. Read the full tournament recap.
Alyssa Porter / Photo: Alex Ho for World Rugby
“While it is fantastic to have made a final, what’s more inspiring is how the players continued to stay focused on our process throughout the pressure of competition, working together to reflect and improve over the nine games that we had the opportunity to play. On the field, they not only consistently delivered work ethic, but they showed they have the courage to express their strengths, and while also doing things that are uncomfortable. We will take the holiday period to reload, and everyone is looking forward to get back into camp and building on this foundation together.”
The series idles for a month-and-a-half until January 24-26 in Perth, Australia. One tournament per month occurs until May 3-4 in Los Angeles — site of the HSBC SVNS series championship.
Sarah Levy / Photo: Alex Ho for World Rugby
TEAM
| Number. Name | SVNS Tourneys |
|---|---|
| 1. Ariana Ramsey | 9 |
| 3. Kayla Canett (C) | 31 |
| 6. Alena Olsen (C) | 26 |
| 13. Sarah Levy | 13 |
| 15. Rachel Strasdas | 3 |
| 16. Jess Lu | 3 |
| 19. Kaylen Thomas | 4 |
| 20. Autumn LoCicero | 2 |
| 24. Su Adegoke | 2 |
| 28. Sariah Ibarra | 2 |
| 29. Hann Humphreys | 2 |
| 32. Alyssa Porter | 2 |
| 33. Nia Toliver | 2 |
STAFF
Emilie Bydwell | Head Coach
Zack Test | Assistant Coach
Trey Ford | Head of Athletic Performance
Nicole Titmas | Athletic Trainer
Liz Strohecker | Head of Operations – Sevens
RESULTS
USA 29-0 Fiji
Tries: Toliver 2, Thomas, Porter 2
Cons: Canett 3
USA 31-14 Great Britain
Tries: Toliver 2, Ramsey, Thomas, Levy
Cons: Ibarra 2, Canett
Cup SF
USA 24-19 Australia
Tries: Toliver 2, Ramsey, Porter
Cons: Canett 2
Cup Final
New Zealand 26-12 USA
Tries: Toliver, Porter
Cons: Canett