Eagles defeat Tonga in November tour victory

The USA Men's Eagles came out on top in a commanding 36-12 victory over Tonga, showcasing an improved attack and strategic control throughout the match.

Saturday night was only the second win over Tonga for the United States, and the first since their first meeting in 1999. Mark O'Keeffe and Mikey Grandy made their Eagles debuts, while captain Greg Peterson earned his 50th test cap, a remarkable achievement.

Tonga started with an aggressive, fast-paced attack, but the USA responded with impressive defensive solidity, eventually control the offensive game. Despite some early signs of vulnerability, the Eagles weathered Tonga's initial pressure and capitalized on key turnovers and set-piece opportunities to seize control.

This victory marks another important step in the Eagles' ongoing cohesion and development, as they continue to show improvement under Head Coach Scott Lawrence. The team's emphasis on disciplined defense, set-piece, and the inclusion of younger players into key roles is paying dividends. Several players stepped up to make a significant impact, and this win will be a benchmark as the team continues to evolve.

When asked about the improved attack, Lawrence said, “I think when we keep it simple, when we just keep ahold of the ball and go forward we’re pretty athletic in the middle of the field, so we were able to get some purchase in this game.”

Lawrence added about the physicality, “I think early on in the game Tonga was winning the collisions and it took us a little while to get into the game. As we did, we became more accurate in the contact area and I think that was the difference in the collisions.”

In terms of work ons for the next match against Spain, Lawrence said, “It’ll be around sustaining pressure, we had three 22 entries that we didn’t convert so I think we have some opportunities there, with the pressure we’re putting on teams and our entires in the 22.”

Tonga wasted no time, coming out with high tempo, looking to use their speed to break through the USA defense. Tonga broke away on the offense, gaining ground up to the halfway line before a quick offload kept their attack alive. With fast offloads and quick breakthroughs, Tonga found space and scored the first try of the game, putting them up by 7.

The USA quickly adjusted their defense, tightening up the width and keeping better shape. A few minutes later, the Eagles mounted their own attack, with Mitch Wilson broke free and gained significant ground into Tonga’s half. A knock-on by the Eagles led to a TMO review of a high tackle, resulting in a penalty to Tonga, and they earned a line-out in good attacking territory.

The Eagles set up a maul from the line-out, but quickly got the ball out and worked together. Dominic Besag capped off the drive with a try to put the USA on the board.

The game continued with both sides exchanging possession and territory. Tonga's high-paced attack led to a scrum at the five-meter line, but the USA's pressure led to a collapsing scrum, giving the ball back to the Eagles. The USA quickly capitalized, with Jason Damm breaking through a tackle to score, putting the Eagles up 12-7 after AJ MacGinty’s conversion.

In another set-piece opportunity, the USA had a line-out on Tonga's five-meter line, where they set up a maul, but it collapsed into phases. Jack Iscaro took advantage, muscling his way over the try line to increase the Eagles' lead.

Tonga fought back, capitalizing on a few penalties and winning another scrum. They broke out quickly, and after a high tackle on the edge, they launched a final attack to score in the corner.

The Eagles, however, continued to hold strong defensively, even after a 20-minute red card to Mitch Wilson for a high tackle. Mark O’Keeffe made an immediate impact on his debut, helping the Eagles clear their lines and maintain composure. Down a man, the USA continued to dominate the set pieces, with a dominant driving maul forcing Tonga to concede penalties.

Heading into the second half down one player, the Eagles kept up the pressure. Ruben de Haas intercepted Tonga's attack in a surprise attack ending with a try. Tonga responded quickly with a score, but the USA turned around and put in the work to get AJ MacGinty over the line to increase the USA's lead.

As Wilson returned to the field, the Eagles kept up their control. O'Keeffe used his speed to break away and bring the ball into Tonga's territory, where a penalty gave MacGinty a kick to add three to the tally.

The match ended 36-12 in favor of the USA, with their relentless pressure on both sides of the ball being too much for Tonga to handle. The Eagles’ depth and discipline were key in weathering the early storm and finishing strong.

This victory gives the USA plenty of confidence as they look ahead to their next fixture against Spain. With the lessons learned in this match and the ongoing guidance of Scott Lawrence, the Eagles will be looking to build on their momentum and continue their strong performance in the upcoming clash.

Scott Lawrence | Head Coach

Alama Ieremia | Backs and Attack Coach

Nick Easter | Forwards and Defense Coach

Blake Bradford | Scrum Coach

Alex Ross | Head of Athlete Performance

Jimmy Harrison | Head Analyst

Rodolfo Broggi | Athlete Performance

Michael Sheridan | Head Athletic Trainer

Jennifer Roney | Assistant Athletic Trainer

Willie Berlanga | Sports Massage Therapist

Matt Schmitz | Team Doctor

Oscar Alvarez | Team Manager

Nov 9 | Portugal vs USA | 17-21 (W)

TRIES | P. Ryan, N. Augspurger, K. Pifeleti

CONV | A. MacGinty (3)

Nov 16 | Tonga vs USA | 36-17 (W)

TRIES | D. Besag, J. Damm, J. Iscaro, R. de Haas, A. MacGinty

CONV | A. MacGinty (4)

PK | A. MacGinty

Nov 23 | Spain vs USA

Madrid, ESP, 6:45am ET on FloRugby

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