The HSBC Sevens Series LA Sevens will be held at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA on February 29-March 1.
All matches are broadcast LIVE and On-Demand on NBC Sports Gold. NBCSN will also provide comprehensive coverage from 8 PM ET to 12 AM ET on Saturday, with extended timings on Sunday at 11:30 AM ET to 8 PM ET.
The United States is in Pool C with Australia, Scotland, and Samoa with the original Series format restored for the next two rounds (LA and Vancouver).
Samoa will be up first and are ranked 13th overall after finishing 15th in Hamilton and Sydney. The Samoans made the Cup Final last year in Las Vegas against two-time USA Sevens winner, the USA.
No. 12 Scotland will be next and have faced the U.S. in group play for the last two rounds. Group play will end against Australia who fell to the Eagles Sevens on their own home turf in Sydney.
Head Coach Mike Friday has made three changes to the squad for Los Angeles with Captain Madison Hughes back after being removed from Sydney as a precaution. Joe Schroeder and Cody Melphy are in for Matai Leuta and for Marcus Tupuola, respectively. Maceo Brown will serve as the No. 13 injury reserve.
In Sydney, Melphy returned to the senior circuit for the first time since 2017 and made an immediate impact with 11 runs, two clean breaks and 29 points (tries + conversions).
As the U.S. fights for its third straight title in a home tournament, Carlin Isles and Perry Baker each fight for their own individual benchmarks. Both players are tied at 199 tries apiece after an incredible scoring spree in Sydney. Baker claimed six tries with Carlin taking five and both players set to break 200 in front of a home crowd at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The primary 12-player roster owns a cumulative 402 HSBC tournaments.
Mike Friday indicated that “We are very much looking forward to playing in front of our home support and our families under a familiar tournament format welcomed by all 16 participating nations.
“Once again we will need the noise and passion from the stands to inspire us to represent and empty for the Stars and Stripes in a very challenging pool.
“We will need to be at our sharpest for the physical challenge of facing Samoa in the opener which stands as a repeat of last year’s Cup Final. Samoa is a dangerous team, full of power and pace, who are renowned for excelling on American soil. Scotland has also been difficult opponents on every occasion we’ve played them this season. The smart Australian team will also play with guile and invention.
“The boys have worked hard these last few weeks and the competition and energy have been high building towards this event. Dignity Health Sports Park will provide a surface that will be wide, flat and fast which allows the Dawgs to play to their DNA.”
USA Eagles 7s: 1 Carlin Isles (Wing, 55) 2 Ben Pinkelman (Prop/Hooker, 35) 3 Danny Barrett (Prop, 52) 4 Joe Schroeder (Prop, 11) 5 Cody Melphy (Halfback, 4) 6 Kevon Williams (Halfback, Wing, 25) 7 Naima Fuala’au (Halfback), 6) 8 Maka Unufe (Center, 41) 9 Stephen Tomasin (Hooker, 35) 10 Madison Hughes (Capt, Halfback, 50) 11 Perry Baker (Wing, 45) 12 Martin Iosefo (Center, 44) 13 Maceo Brown (Center, 12)
STAFF
Head Coach Mike Friday
Assistant Coach Phil Greening
Assistant Coach Anthony Roques
Strength & Conditioning John Hood
Performance Analyst Dave Gardner
Athletic Trainer Brian Green
Team Manager Scott Novack
LOS ANGELES SCHEDULE | POOL C
Pool C Saturday, Feb 29
vs Samoa 12:19 PM PT – NBC Sports Gold
vs Scotland 3:37 PM PT – NBC Sports Gold
vs Australia 8:03 PM PT – NBCSN & NBC Sports Gold
Knockouts begin Sunday, Mar 1 at 8:15 AM PT.
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