Eagles fall in semis to USA 7s champ Argentina

All-time Sevens World Series try leader Santiago Gomez Cora scored against America and England alike to pace Argentina in a pair of 19-14 knockout-round victories at the USA 7s, earning the Pumas their first championship since 2004.

The Eagles, 14-7 quarterfinal victors over Kenya, bowed out of the San Diego tournament having lodged their first semifinal appearance since 2001. Al Caravelli's troops thereby pulled into seventh place in the IRB series, four behind crowd favorite Kenya, having earned points in three successive tournaments.

Skipper Chris Wyles and Malese Malifa scored second-half tries to pull America in front of the Pumas 14-12, capping a rally that saw the US overcome lack of possession in the opening 7 minutes and a key quarterfinal injury to prop Matt Hawkins.

But Gomez Cora's gamewinner followed a break down the USA's lefthand sideline, where the Eagles conceded 6 of the 9 tries allowed over the course of the 5-game weekend, according to IRB data. More maddening, the final restart may have gone directly into touch -- knowledgeable people rendered conflicting reports -- and there would have been time for a lineout, yet English referee Andrew Small ended the game without the Eagles having a final chance.

The awkward conclusion should not detract from an impressive weekend that also saw a near upset of South Africa and the quarterfinal win that validates the US as a team to reckon with. As with the Pumas match, the US spotted its opponent a 7-0 lead, before Hawkins and James Gillenwater scored converted tries, one in each half. But Hawkins exit, after scoring a breakaway try, prompted a significant lineup change prior to one of the bigger 7s matches the US has played in decade.

The US is back in action at next month's 7s World Cup in Dubai, drawn with Fiji, France, and Georgia in Pool B.

Comments

[Chuck Norris]

Chuck Norris says - if the IRB wants to get Sevens into the Olympics, then surely having the USA host the Sevens World Cup would be part of that plan.

We have the biggest market in the world. Pick a MLS stadium to host it, and have the USA run it like they did the Soccer WC, and the result will be spectacular for the game and it's future.

Chuck assumes the politics at the top have shut this idea down.

Chuck sends a round-house kick to that pommie ref in the Argie/Eagles game. Doesn't he remember the Falklands?

[ref in question]

Tim Luscome a US based pommie ref is who screwed the Eagles.

[James]

Al, Emil, Craig, and the Boys.

You're getting so close you can taste it. I believe as you must that a Cup win is within your reach.

And finally, America will be a world class contender in rugby, a heavy weight to be reckoned with (at least in 7s).

Keep clawing, its right in front of you.

[ooppps]

Tim Luscombe fully blew that call. He had to know that the ONLY thing he needed to watch out for, at the end of the game was touch on the full.

The indecision on his part, led to the indecision by the referee, who tried to get out of jail, by blowing full time.

Full credit to Al, and the rest of the team by not crying about the missed call!

Now it is time to focus on the 7s RWC!!

[Blagojevichrugby]

If these IRB refs don't know the rules, than how is an Average American going to know what happened on ABC next weekend?

They need to be better than that. People are not going to be exited to watch a sport that is won/lost by the refs or that appears to be "fixed".

Truth and simplicity is in order during this "depression". If rugby can put its best face forward during this period, they can grow incredibly. Hopefully ABC can makes heads/tails of this so to put rugby's best face forward.

[typical]

If in fact the ball was out on the full, the following occurs:

reference:

5.7 OTHER TIME REGULATIONS

(e) If time expires and the ball is not dead, or an awarded scrum or line-out
has not been completed the referee allows play to continue until the next
time that the ball becomes dead. If time expires and a mark, free kick or
penalty kick is then awarded, the referee allows play to continue.

seven-a-side variations

13.8 BALL GOES DIRECTLY INTO TOUCH
The ball must land in the field of play. If it is kicked directly into touch, a
free kick is awarded to the non-offending team at the centre of the halfway
line.
Penalty: Free Kick at the centre of the half-way line.

Are there other situations that would have prevented the match from continuing with a free kick?

[Flynn Hagerty]

According to his agent, Eddie O'Sullivan will be the next Eagle coach, subject to board approval. In addition he will face Ireland in a Test match on May 30 in the US.

[bruce mclane]

I thought in the USA 7's the last call was bad, but when Malifa scored the go ahead try and the pumas interfered with the quick tap that he scored on, the ref should have given a penalty try and a sin bin against the pumas or minimally a try and a sin bin. if he had, i doubt the pumas would have scored the go ahead. both calls were bad, but that one was as bad as the mistake on the KO.

[SD Hitman]

Regardless of bad calls on the wknd, the US team, and perhaps Kenya, are the squads nobody wants in their pool or to face in the knockout stages. They tackle hard, contest every breakdown, keep games close, and make you work hard for every point scored. You have to be at your best to beat us now. The big fish have to realize that the code is cracked and the minnows can now swim amongst them. Fiji and NZ are having off years for sure. Eng, Arg, and SA seem to be very close in talent and depth. How beautiful was it to watch parody reign and make more games meaningful in the later pool stages and place former Kings in the Plate competition? USA and Kenya will be taking Cups home soon. Congrats to both and it was a great weekend for rugby on and off the field!!!!

[James]

Any word on attendance figures?

[M.O.]

The San Diego newspaper said it was approximately 17,500 for each day.

[WC Paradigm Shift]

I think we have seen the likes of Kenya and USA raise their game this past couple tournaments, but come WC time the big 7s nations will raise their game to levels the minnows can't reach. I predict that the WC results are going to fall into line with what you would historically expect with SA, NZ, England, Oz, Fiji and Samoa being another class better than the rest.

[no fan]

Luscombe is a twit. He thinks the game is about him. He shouldn't be a super league ref until he grows a pair and understands its not about him.

He acts like a chick, he would be a solid womens rugby ref.

[Canuck]

Now that the silly 7s is over let's make notice to real news about the real game. Canada moved up to 14 in the IRB ratings passing Georgia and just under Tonga. USA is still at 19 between Russia and Uruguay.

Considering that Canada has a stable coaching set-up and a tough fall schedule, I think the Eagles are going to be hard pressed to beat the Canadians.

[shallow gene pool]

Canuck,
You, Roberts, and Melville must be on the same conference call every Monday morning. I have no idea why you guys want to the USA to fail. It must be part of some grand plan?

[CEO Not]

It's funny how Melville and Roberts can turn any situations into a cluster-fudge.

O'Sullivan's agent said he had a deal. 48 hours later, after the USAR board meeting, Melville says there is no deal and he's off to interview candidates (as in more than one).

Melville and Roberts could fudge-up a piss break. It is very surprising that O'Sullivan would be willing to work for these two guys.

[Mrs. Roberts]

I am a huge Kevin Roberts fan.

[Paul Robespierre]

Rumor has it its between the 2 Eddies

[roaming gnome gone wild]

I'm sure that both Eddies are having a laugh over a pint while their agents drive up the price.

Heck, fire off both credit cards, hire both Eddies!
Don't forget to extend Nigel's contract beyond 2015...

How can we lose to Canada with that set-up.
Two Eddies! That's twice as crazy!

[yawn]

Little early to jump all over Melville and Roberts. My guess is that the agent was publicly saying Eddie had/wants the job because he wanted to put some pressure on USA Rugby to make a decision. I assume that another candidate has made himself available, Eddie Jones, and now the qualifying continues.

[screwed by our own ref]

Luscombe is a twat, he did a super league match last season where both team wanted to choke him.

[Sevens Fan]

That last restart kick in the USA-Argentina game went directly into touch. I was sitting about 30m away and there should have been no question what to do - award a free kick to the Eagles at the center of the halfway line.

Nobody knew why this didn't happen, and nobody at the stadium who saw it was happy. It was a total howler.

Full credit to the Eagles for not whining about it though. Other than that one incident, it was a great match.

I would estimate that about 1/3 of the whole stadium was full each day. The upper deck seats were not on sale, so that has to be considered too.

All in all it was a great event and better than the last time I was there a couple of years ago.

[gnome de plume]

Yawn,
You are a Board member, wake up - we are racing backwards.

Don't worry, the Chairman and CEO will fill you in on the details after they wrap some more meat in their sheets.