The USA Men’s Eagles Sevens put up hard fought performances in a challenging Pool C eventually finishing the iconic 3-day HSBC SVNS World Championships opener in Hong Kong with a close fall to Germany in the final seconds of the match.
Head Coach Zack Test and staff’s 13-man squad featured debutant Tiave Watts who made his first Eagles appearance coming on against Australia. Stretched from injuries sustained through the season, Test’s squad did well to keep score lines within striking distance, but were unable to get the upper footing as match momentum swung in opposition favor.
Proud of the team’s workrate and unwavering conviction in each other, Test commented;
“We had 4 out of 5 tight matches that really came down to small moments and our consistency in executing under pressure. The boys put in a massive shift, and I’m proud of the effort and will they showed throughout the tournament.”
“At this level, it’s all about fine margins, and we’ve seen how those moments can go either way. It’s obviously disappointing to come out on the wrong side of a close game, but credit to the group’s work rate and commitment to fight, especially down numbers.”
“The difference was in the little details and our ability to finish key moments. That’s something we’ll take away and improve. At a world championship, the margins are incredibly fine. We were right in those games, but just didn’t execute consistently enough when it mattered most, but the effort and resilience the boys showed shows a strong foundation to build from. We’ll regroup, learn from these experiences, and focus on how we can be better in those critical moments. If we can sharpen our execution,control and composure, we’ll give ourselves every chance to finish the season on a high.”
“We didn’t quite get the outcomes we wanted, but there’s a lot to take from this. It’s about continuing to grow, learning from those small moments that hurt us, and making sure we’re ready to take them next time”
The USA Eagles Men’s Sevens opened Pool play against New Zealand putting up a tenacious fight after the Kiwis opened with two tries. Lucas Lacamp put all the Eagles points on the board, scoring first just ahead of halftime. New Zealand responded on the restart and despite Lacamp adding 5 more, the Eagles were not able to close the gap on the scoreline ending 12-19. .
USA went down to Australia in their second match 5-38 with Steve Tomasin taking the Eagles only try kicking off the second half, just ahead of Tiave Watts coming on for this USA debut. In their final pool match, taking on familiar rival Kenya, the USA opened strong with 2 tries from Ben Broselle and Lacap, but the Kenyans came back with 3 tries to edge ahead of the USA putting the Eagles in fourth for the final pool position.
The USA advanced to the 9th Place Semi Final taking on Great Britain in another close contest going 12-17 to the Brits. GB lit up the board first, with Ben Brosell racing one in return. Marcus Tupuloa added a second try for the USA putting the Eagles in the lead 15-5 at halftime, but 2 tries from GB left unanswered sealed the win and the USA’s movement to the 11th place Play-off.
In the final match against Germany, a kick chase from Lacamp opened space for Ulu Niutupuivaha to step over and touch down first. Germany responded, leveling 5-5 at the half. Orrin Bizer capitalized off the breakdown, stepping 2 defenders to run in the second score for the Eagles. A big break from Ryan Santos see strong attack but turnover ball sees the Germans outpace the Eagles on attack and run in under the posts. Steve Tomasin runs a looping line off Jack Wendling to run on to the pass and keep the momentum to run it across to go up just before the buzzer. USA kick off just as the horn sounds and Germany takes possession to sprint in a final try to take the win 15-19.
The next leg of the HSBC SVNS World Championships kicks back up in Valladolid Spain May 29 -31 followed by the final stop in Bordeaux, France June 5 - 7th. Live action will be streamed on Paramount+.
| Player Number | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Aaron (AC) Cummings |
| 2 | Ben Broselle |
| 3 | Orrin Bizer |
| 5 | Will Chevalier |
| 8 | Ryan Santos |
| 9 | Stephen Tomasin (C) |
| 12 | Lucas Lacamp |
| 13 | Jack Wendling |
| 16 | Uluamu Niutupuivaha |
| 25 | Pita Vi |
| 27 | Marcus Tupuola |
| 28 | Tucker Trickey |
| 34 | Tiave Watts* |
Pool C
USA v New Zealand (L) 12-19
Tries: Lucas Lacamp (2)
Conv: Lucas Lacamp
USA v Australia (L) 5-38
Tries: Steve Tomasin
USA v Kenya (L) 10-17
Tries: Lucas Lacamp, Ben Broselle
9th Place Semi Final
USA v Great Britain (L) 12-17
Tries: Ben Broselle, Marcus Tupuola
Conv: Lucas Lacamp
11th Place Play-Off
USA v Germany (L) 15-19
Tries: Ulu Niutupuivaha, Orrin Bizer, Steve Tomasin
April 17 - 19 | Hong Kong - 12th Place
May 29 -31 | Valladolid
June 5 - 7 | Bordeaux
SVNS 2:
Nairobi, Kenya - 2nd Place
Montevideo, Uruguay - 1st Place
São Paulo, Brazil - 4th Place
Zack Test | Head Coach
Nese Malifa | Assistant Coach
Josh Schnell | Head of Athletic Performance
Perry Baker | Technical Coach
Pat Blair | Technical / Analysis Coach
Julian Arteaga | Performance Analyst
Nicole Titmas | Head of Athlete Wellness
Meghan Chambers | Rehab Specialist
Meaghan Wu | Athletic Trainer
Jacque Scaramella | Dietician
Liz Strohecker | Head of Operations
Maria Adams | Operations Coordinator
