The USA Eagles faced Portugal in the first of three November tour matches in Europe, securing a hard-fought 21-17 win in a thrilling contest that showcased the team's resilience and defensive skill.
Despite sustained pressure from Portugal in the closing minutes, the USA stood strong defensively, forcing a key penalty that sealed the win. The victory was a notable achievement for the Eagles, particularly with three debutants making their mark on the field, and provided important lessons as they move forward in their European tour.
This was also the third time the USA has faced Portugal in the last three years, with the last two encounters resulting in a draw and a loss for the Eagles, making this win a redemption for the squad. The match marked a significant milestone for three players making their Eagles debut: Shilo Klein, Tomas Casares, and Erich Storti.
When asked what this win means going forward, Lawrence replied, “It means we stared to grow as a team, and are learning how to perform when the game is on the line. This group of young players coming through are adding real energy to the squad.”
The match began with an early line out win for the USA, but Portugal quickly showed their attacking intent, retaining possession for the first 10 minutes. Despite some solid defensive blocks, the USA needed to remain patient in attack, and their ability to block Portugal’s chip kicks and maintain possession was key in keeping the pressure off.
Portugal earned the first scrum of the game, and a penalty gave them a free kick, followed by a penalty goal to put the first points on the board, putting them up by three. But a knock on by Portugal gave the Eagles their first scrum. The Eagles worked their way forward and Paddy Ryan broke through multiple Portugal tacklers to score the opening try. AJ MacGinty’s conversion was on point, giving the USA a 7-3 lead.
Portugal responded with strong play of their own, winning a penalty and playing quickly to score a try out wide. Despite the pressure, the Eagles were able to dig in defensively. A Portugal 50-22 kick went out in the try zone, gifting the USA a midfield scrum. The Eagles launched a quick counterattack, and a wide pass to the wing found Nate Augspurger who put the ball down for a try. MacGinty’s conversion was good, putting the USA back ahead, 14-10.
As the half wound down, Portugal won a line-out deep in USA territory, but the Eagles defended with grit, kicking clear and seeing out the final moments of the half. The USA went into the break with a solid 14-10 lead, supported by their defensive effort and looking to continue the pressure in the second half.
The second half kicked off with the USA in control of possession, working their way into Portugal territory. A well-placed penalty gave them a line-out at the five-meter mark, but Portugal won the set piece and cleared the pressure.
Portugal, relentless in attack, earned a scrum on the five-meter line after a collapsing maul. The pressure eventually paid off for Portugal, who broke through on the wing for a try to take the lead. Their confidence surged, and they continued to press the Eagles.
The USA managed to fight back, picking up some momentum and pushing into Portugal territory. A long kick got the Eagles back on track, and they slowly worked their way into a strong attacking position. A penalty awarded to the USA set up a quick tap-and-go, and Kapeli Pifeleti powered through Portugal’s defense to score the try. MacGinty’s conversion was good, putting the USA back in front, 21-17, with just three minutes remaining.
Portugal didn’t give up easily, and after a tense final few minutes, they regained possession from a box kick and launched one final attack. A rolling maul on the five-meter line tested the USA's resolve, but the Eagles stood strong on defense and forced a penalty from Portugal to end the game 21-17.
This thrilling encounter marks a significant step forward for the Eagles as they continue their European tour, and will provide them with plenty of valuable lessons to take into their remaining matches. The defense was the standout, but as the team heads into the next fixture, they’ll look to build on the solid foundation laid in this win.
| NAME | CLUB | CAPS |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jack Iscaro | Old Glory DC | 11 |
| 2. Shilo Klein | San Diego Legion | 1 |
| 3. Alex Maughan | Anthem Rugby Carolina | 7 |
| 4. Jason Damm | RFCLA | 7 |
| 5. Greg Peterson (C) | San Diego Legion | 49 |
| 6. Viliami Helu | San Diego Legion | 12 |
| 7. Cory Daniel | Old Glory DC | 8 |
| 8. Paddy Ryan | San Diego Legion | 12 |
| 9. Ruben DeHaas | Cheetahs | 34 |
| 10. AJ MacGinty | Bristol Bears | 38 |
| 11. Nate Augspurger | Chicago Hounds | 47 |
| 12. Tavite Lopeti | Seattle Seawolves | 18 |
| 13. Dominic Besag | Saint Mary's College | 7 |
| 14. Conner Mooneyham | Anthem Rugby Carolina | 6 |
| 15. Mitch Wilson | Anthem Rugby Carolina | 12 |
| 16. Kapeli Pifeleti | Saracens | 16 |
| 17. Jake Turnbull | Anthem Rugby Carolina | 12 |
| 18. Pono Davis | Houston Sabercats | 4 |
| 19. Tomas Casares | Miami Sharks | 1 |
| 20. Tesimoni Tonga'uiha | NOLA Gold | 10 |
| 21. Ethan McVeigh | Old Glory DC | 3 |
| 22. Erich Storti | Anthem Rugby Carolina | 1 |
| 23. Luke Carty | Unattached | 22 |
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
Chambery, FRA, 11:30am ET on RugbyPass TV
Nov 23 | Spain vs USA
Madrid, ESP, 6:45am ET on FloRugby
