Eagles edged by Harlequins

The USA Eagles ran into a minor speed bump in an otherwise successful summer, dropping a 24-19 decision to Harlequins Rugby Club at PPL Park in Philadelphia on Sunday. Neither team would have been putting much stock in the result, with the Eagles ramping up to the Rugby World Cup, and Harlequins still in pre-season mode ahead of the Aviva Premiership. Still, both coaching staffs would have been glad for the chance to identify some of the strengths and weaknesses of their squads.

The US jumped out to a quick start, earning two penalties in quick succession. Eagles’ breakout star fly-half AJ MacGinty banged over both opportunities – one from nearly 50 metres – with ease to give his side had a 6-0 lead after only four minutes.

Harlequins finally began to show some pushback after almost 15 minutes were off the clock, yet even as they worked through the phases, the US defense not only held fast, but pushed Quins backwards. When the Eagles forwards eventually forced a turnover at midfield, MacGinty popped up yet again to make one of his numerous breaks on the afternoon, dashing downfield before sending away a wide-open Thretton Palamo for an easy score. The conversion failed to go over, but the US lead was stretched to 11-0.

After a first quarter in which the Eagles could do no wrong, Harlequins began to reverse the tide, passing up opportunities for penalty kicks in favour of lineouts and driving mauls. At first this tactic went for naught, with Eagles lock Cam Dolan single-handedly demolishing the first such attempt. A second crack proved successful at 28 minutes, when Quins halfback Karl Dickson picked up the ball off the back of a maul, froze two defenders, and scampered in for a try. Nick Evans converted, and the gap closed to four.

The US would counter well, creating a big break for Mike Petri. The scrumhalf found himself isolated, however, and Harlequins turned the ball over. Scant moments later, the Premiership lads were barreling over the US try line with another rolling maul, flanker Luke Wallace dotting down. Another successful conversion by Evans put Harlequins in the lead for the first time on the afternoon.

With only three minutes to go before halftime, the US looked to be back ahead on the scoreboard when Al McFarland stretched out for what looked like a try. After video review, however, referee Kurt Weaver judged that the ball had been lost forward, and the score remained 14-11.

After the break the teams traded chances, with Quins clearly back on the front foot. The game likely turned at the 50-minute mark when the Eagles snubbed a makeable penalty, then missed an attempt five minutes later. With those points left on the board, the US attack began to run out of ideas – perhaps not coincidentally when Folau Niua replaced MacGinty.

Niua would slot a penalty at 61 minutes to level the scores at 14-14, but just six minutes later Harlequins used a now on-form rolling maul to secure another try, finished off once again by Luke Wallace. Ben Botica, subbed on for Evans, slotted the extra two and Harlequins had retaken the lead, 21-14.

The final quarter saw substitutions begin in earnest, and with eleven players on each bench pouring in, the game became predictably scrambly. Play went back and forth until Harlequins, milking the clock with scrum resets, eventually earned a penalty and opted for a shot at goal with only two minutes remaining. Botica nailed his kick from 50 metres making the outcome became a foregone conclusion.

Still, the Eagles didn’t roll over, and completed a well-worked try, sending dual-code sensation Zack Test in for a five-pointer after the hooter. Nevertheless, when the final whistle blew, a 24-19 win was in the books for Harlequins.

The Eagles will now travel to Chicago for a test match against Australia at Soldier Field, helping USA Rugby to build off the All Blacks’ visit to that same venue last November. Harlequins, meanwhile, will head back to England to continue preparations for the Aviva Premiership in October.

USA 19
Tries – T. Palamo (19), Z. Test (80)
Pens – A. MacGinty (3, 5), F. Niua (60)

HARLEQUINS 24
Tries – K. Dickson (29), L. Wallace (35, 67)
Cons – N. Evans (30, 36), B. Botica (68)
Pens – B. Botica (79)

USA
1 E. Fry 2 P. Thiel 3 T. Lamositele 4 C. Dolan 5 G. Peterson 6 A. McFarland 7 J. Quill 8 S. Manoa 9 M. Petri 10 A. MacGinty 11 B. Thompson 12 T. Palamo 13 S. Kelly 14 T. Ngwenya 15 B. Scully (capt.)

16 Z. Fenoglio 17 O. Kilifi 18 C. Baumann 19 M. Moeakiola 20 J. Taufete’e 21 L. Stanfill 22 M. Trouville 23 A. Durutalo 24 N. Kruger 25 F. Niua 26 Z. Test 27 S. Suniula

HARLEQUINS
1 M. Lambert 2 R. Buchanan 3 K. Sinckler 4 G. Merrick 5 S. Twomey 6 J. Clifford 7 L. Wallace 8 M. Luamanu 9 K. Dickson 10 N. Evans (capt.) 11 C. Walker 12 W. Stanley 13 H. Sloan 14 M. Yarde 15 O. Lindsay-Hague

16 J. Gray 17 O. Evans 18 A. Jones 19 S. South 20 A. White 21 T. Tebaldi 22 B. Botica 23 R. Chisholm 24 T. Swiel 25 D. Ward 26 G. Lowe

match report by Kyle Phillips, follow Kyle on Twitter @nomadenhaft