USA Draw with Argentina XV in Entertaining Match

In front of a crowd of just over 10,000 at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, the USA Eagles and Argentina XV opened up their Americas Rugby Championship accounts with a match for the ages. The two sides battled it out for over 80 minutes in an entertaining and action filled game. Both sides had their opportunities to win the match in a seesaw affair that saw seven lead changes.

The USA came out of the gate firing and quickly took the lead behind two James Bird penalty goals in the first five minutes of the match. The Eagles followed with the first try of the game when Taku Ngwenya sidestepped his way into the endzone after a weak side attack from the USA off of a scrum. The conversion from Bird gave the USA a 13-0 lead just a little over 10 minutes into the first half.

Argentina came back strong with 16th minute try from Tomás Carrió. The conversion from Domingo Miotti cut the USA’s lead to 13-7. A run of scrappy play from both sides presented some open field attacking options and Argentina nearly broke off a long try only to have Ngwenya come through with a try saving tackle. The stemming of the tide would be short-lived as Argentina scored a couple of minutes later when Rodrigo Báez crashed over the line from inches away. The conversion gave Argentina their first lead of the match.

The Eagles retook the lead in the 32nd minute with another penalty goal from Bird. Argentina answered back swiftly with a try from Joaquín Paz three minutes later to take a 21-16 lead over the USA. The two sides exchanged missed penalties to close out the half with Argentina leading 21-16 in an entertaining opening 40 minutes.

The second half started much like the first half, with both sides attacking and putting pressure on the other. Argentina took the first opportunity to put points on the board in the second half, but came away with another missed penalty goal. The USA worked the ball deep into Argentina’s half and found themselves with a lineout on the five meter line. The Eagle maul drew two straight penalties from Argentina and on the third attempt at the maul, Todd Clever scored a try on his return to the Eagles to tie the match at 21-21.

Argentina retook the lead in the 64th minute on a try from scrumhalf Gonzalo Bertranou who took a quick tap near the goal line and found a seam over the line. The conversion gave the South Americans a 28-21 lead as they also began to find ample space through the USA’s defensive line.

With Argentina pressuring inside of the USA half again, Cam Dolan intercepted a pass and took it nearly the length of the pitch to score against the run of play and bring the scores level. Immediately following the USA found themselves deep in Argentina’s half, the tide seeming to swing in favor of the Eagles as repeat infringements earned Argentina a yellow card for Juan Cappiello near the goal line. The USA took that momentum and Eric Fry crashed over for a converted try to give the USA a seven-point lead with five minutes to play.

With victory within their grasp and up one man, the USA gave up a a try to Argentina following some nice passing as Carrió added his second try of the match when he sliced through the USA defense to score. The conversion left the match tied again, now at 35-35. Both the USA and Argentina took shots at goal in the final minutes, but missed. With either side not willing to give in to defeat, the two continued to attack into extra time, but to no avail as the whistle blew and closed out the exciting match with a fitting 35-35 tie.

The end result may not have been a win for either side, but there was no denying the intent. Both sides fielded a number of young players that gained valuable experience. The USA showed an aggressive and attacking mindset that has been missing. With the USA losing a handful of overseas players, the younger players on the roster are poised to get a lot of action during the ARC.

 

SCORING

USA 35
Tries – T. Ngwenya (11′), T. Clever (50′), C. Dolan (65′), E. Fry (74′)
Cons – J. Bird 3 (12′, 66′, 75′)
Pens – J. Bird 3 (2′, 5′, 32′)

ARGENTINA XV 35
Tries – T. Carrió 2 (16′, 77′), R. Báez (24′), J. Paz (35′), G. Bertranou (64′)
Cons – D. Miotti 4 (17′, 25′, 36′, 65′), J. Novillo (78′)
Yellow cards – J. Cappiello (73′)

 

TEAMS

USA
1 Eric Fry, 2 Joe Taufete’e (16 Mike Sosene-Feagai 65′), 3 Chris Baumann (17 Olive Kilifi 63′), 4 Brodie Orth (19 Ben Landry 71′), 5 Greg Peterson, 6 Cam Dolan, 7 Todd Clever (20 Alec Gletzer 68′-71′), 8 David Tameilau (20 Alec Gletzer 71′), 9 Niku Kruger (21 Mike Te’o 58′), 10 James Bird, 11 Kingsley McGowan (23 Jake Anderson 63′), 12 Lemoto Filikitonga, 13 Chad London, 14 Takudzwa Ngwenya, 15 Blaine Scully (capt.)

Not used: 18 James Hilterbrand, 22 JP Eloff

ARGENTINA XV
1 Roberto Tejerizo (17 Franco Brarda 68′) 2 Santiago Iglesias Valdez, 3 Felipe Arregui (18 Cristian Bartoloni 68′), 4 Marcos Kremer, 5 Ignacio Larrague (19 Pedro Ortega 68′), 6 Rodrigo Báez (capt.), 7 Lautaro Bavaro, 8 Santiago Montagner (20 José Deheza 14′), 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 10 Domingo Miotti (22 Juan León Novillo 63′), 11 Tomás Carrió, 12 Joaquín Paz, 13 Juan Cappiello, 14 Matías Orlando (23 Juan Pablo Estelles 65′), 15 Pedro Mercerat

Not used: 16 Gaspar Baldunciel, 21 Lautaro Bazán

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Chris Assmus (RC)
Assistants: Kurt Weaver (USAR) & Phil Akroyd (USAR)

 

Attendance: 10,241