Eagles Face Samoa in Denver with World Cup Qualification on the Line
The USA Men’s Eagles fought valiantly but ultimately fell to a strong Japan side 47-21 in Round Two of the pacific Nations Cup at Heart Health Park in Sacramento, finishing third in Pool B. Despite the loss in front of 6,079 fans, the Eagles maintain a pathway to Rugby World Cup 2027 qualification through a 5th place playoff against Samoa next week.
Japan’s speed and precision established an early lead they wouldn’t relinquish, but the Eagles responded with persistent defence and two tries from Kapeli Pifeleti, alongside a late score from Payton Telea-Ilalio. The visitors, however, capitalized on crucial opportunities to secure the victory.
Head Coach Scott Lawrence acknowledged the team’s progress, stating, “We generally did well for longer periods of time in this game, in terms of executing our plan for more minutes with ball in play. We just ran into a good team who punished us in the minutes we didn’t have the ball. Going into next week, we’ll look to increase those minutes for ourselves.”
The match began with a strong start for the USA, with Patty Ryan securing the kickoff.Early defensive pressure,including a forced turnover and a goal-line stand,demonstrated the Eagles’ urgency. Pifeleti’s powerful runs resulted in two first-half tries, keeping the game competitive and bringing the score to 28-14 at halftime.
Following the break, the Eagles disrupted Japan’s set pieces and generated turnovers, highlighted by a strong tackle from Mitch Wilson. Telea-Ilalio then finished a well-executed passing sequence to score his first international try, converted by Luke carty.
While acknowledging Japan’s dominance,the Eagles demonstrated improvements in their defensive efforts and attacking play from the forward pack. The team now travels to Denver to prepare for a critical match against Samoa at Dicks Sporting Goods Park, where qualification for the 2027 Rugby World Cup remains within reach.
