The Athlete Factory International Sevens was held on 25-26 October in Chester, England and included last year’s participants England, France, Spain, Ireland and the USA along with South Africa, Hong Kong, Nigeria, Jamaica and an Invitational team, The Ramblin Jesters, this year.
The USA Men’s Sevens team won the Plate Final over Hong Kong, with Spain defeating Jamaica for 7th and the Ramblin Jesters beating Nigeria for 9th place.
The Bronze went to France with a win over England, while the Cup went to Ireland with a win over South Africa.
Pools
Pool A: USA, France, Ireland, Jamaica, Nigeria
Pool B: South Africa, England, Spain, Hong Kong, Ramblin Jesters
Day One: USA Men’s Sevens
The USA Men’s Sevens began day one of pool play at the AF International Sevens tournament in Manchester, England. The tournament for this development side was played in rainy and wet conditions. The team featured several of the team’s best players, but the player mix was mainly a developing side with experience added.
The USA went 1-2 in pool play on day one with two losses of two points each. The USA opened with a 36-5 win over Nigeria and then lost to Ireland and France. They finished pool play on Saturday morning against Jamaica.
Head Coach Mike Friday said “It’s been a great day for us in terms of what we want to gain out of this weekend. There are things we are working on and some changes in behaviors that are more important than wins and losses in these training games. That will continue to be our focus as we move into tomorrow.”
Knockout rounds for the AF International Sevens followed pool play on Saturday.begin at 8:40 AM ET with the 9th Place Final.
UNITED STATES 36-5 NIGERIA
The opening match of AF International Sevens had Cody Melphy scoring first to a 5-0 lead, with Nigeria answering back. It was a rainy and wet day with handling an issue. The Eagles Sevens overcame those errors with five final tries.
Tries: Cody Melphy (2), Ben Broselle (2), Pat Blair, Maceo Brown Conversion: Naima Fualaau
UNITED STATES 17-19 IRELAND
The Eagles Sevens faced Ireland, who will be the newest core team in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, in their second Pool match..
After an opening try by Joe Schroeder, Ireland scored two tries in the corner. The first came after a line break and the next following an interception of a U.S. pass near the goal line. A Maceo Brown try prior to the break, cut the lead to 12-10.
Stephen Tomasin found a gap in the second half to take a 17-12 lead before Ireland struck back with a converted try for the 19-17 win.
Tries: Joe Schroeder, Maceo Brown, Pat Blair Conversion: Stephen Tomasin
UNITED STATES 5-7 FRANCE
The USA applied early pressure on France and created opportunities. A Naima Fualaau to Cody Melphy offload to Pat Blair opened the scoring with a try for a 5-0 lead.
France took a 7-5 lead just prior to the break, scoring after a USA penalty for not rolling away. The Eagles Sevens held up the try initially, but the opposition rolled over for the try.
The second half continued to be a defensive effort with France holding on for the 7-5 win.
Try: Pat Blair
United States 29-7 Jamaica
The USA opened the scoring with a Harley Wheeler try and a Naima Fuala’au conversion to take a 7-0 lead. Jamaica answered back with a Purchell try which was then converted to level the match at 7 all.
The ensuing restart was gathered by Cody Melphy, who broke downfield and grubbed to Will Holder, who reached a meter from in-goal. Melphy finished with a try from the breakdown to lead 12-7 at the break.
Ben Broselle added two tries down the wide channel with Stepehn Tomasin sonverting the second to lead 24-7. A Kevon Williams chip kick was gathered by Harley Wheeler for a concluding try as the Eagles Sevens won 29-7.
Tries: Wheeler (2), Broselle (2), Melphy Conversion: Kevon Williams, Stephen Tomasin
Plate Semifinal: United States 27-7 Spain
The USA struck first after a Pat Blair offload had Carlin Isles grounding in the left corner. Ben Broselle added another from close range after a breakdown to lead 10-7.
Spain answered back as Hernadez sliced through a gap for a try under the posts to cut the lead to 10-7.
The USA extended the lead to 15-7 at the break after a Naima Fuala’au try.
During the second half, Kevon Williams finished after a Danny Barrett break and Harley Wheeler paicked up a looseball with Marcus Tupuola grounding under the posts for a 27-7 win.
Tries: Isles, Broselle, Fualaau, Williams, Tupuola Conversion: Naima Fualaau
Plate Final: United States 33-5 Hong Kong
The USA struck first when Maceo Brown took a quick tap folowing a Hong Kong penalty with Carlin Isles finishing for a 7-0 lead. Harley Wheeler another from close range with Naima Fuala’au slotting the extras to lead 14-0 at the break.
Hong Kong went down the left wide channel for a try to cut the lead to 14-5.
Perry Baker answered back with a try to push the lead to 19-5.
Hong Kong advanced to within a meter of in-goal before a penalty thwarted their attack. Danny Barrett took a qucik tap and offloaded to Ben Brosettle for a 99 meter try, 24-5.
A Perry Baker intercept had him streaming down the pitch before offloading to Pat Blair for a try under the posts with Baker slotting the extras for a 33-5 Plate win.
The USA will be happy to come out strong on day two, but will be disappointed in their two losses by two points each to eventual tournament champion Ireland and Bronze medal winner France.
Tries: Brown, Wheeler, Baker, Broselle, Blair Conversion: Fualaau (2), Baker
Schedule & Results
October 25 Schedule (All times Eastern)
- Pool A Ireland 21-5 Jamaica
- Pool A USA 36-5 Nigeria
- Pool B Hong Kong 14-0 Ramblin Jesters
- Pool B England 24-5 Spain
- Pool A France 45-5 Nigeria
- Pool A USA 17-19 Ireland
- Pool B South Africa 46-0 Ramblin Jesters
- Pool B Spain 7-17 Hong Kong
- Pool A France 26-12 Jamaica
- Pool A Ireland 43-0 Nigeria
- Pool B England 26-5 Ramblin Jesters
- Pool B South Africa 29-0 Hong Kong
- Pool A Nigeria 10-24 Jamaica
- Pool A USA 5-7 France
- Pool B Spain 35-7 Ramblin Jesters
- Pool B South Africa 31-5 England
October 26 Schedule (All times Eastern)
- Pool A France L/W Ireland
- Pool A USA 29-7 Jamaica
- Pool B South Africa 36-0 Spain
- Pool B England W/L Hong Kong
- Bowl Final 9th Place: Nigeria 10-19 Ramblin Jesters
- Plate SF: USA 27-7 Spain
- Plate SF: Hong Kong 48-5 Jamaica
- Cup SF: Ireland 12-5 England
- Cup SF: South Africa 29-5 France
- Shield Final 7th: Spain 29-0 Jamaica
- Plate Final 5th: USA 33-5 Hong Kong
- Bronze Final: England 24-28 France
- Cup Fina:l Ireland 21-5 South Africa
USA Men’s Sevens Extended Squad: 1 Carlin Isles 2 Matai Leuta 3 Danny Barrett 4 Pat Blair 5 Maceo Brown 6 Maka Unufe 7 Cody Melphy 8 Harley Wheeler 9 Stephen Tomasin 10 Naima Fuala’au 11 Perry Baker 12 Joe Schroeder 14 Kevon Williams 15 Will Holder 17 Marcus Tupuola 18 Ben Broselle
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