Māori run rampant over Eagles

It was a tough day at the office for the Eagles as they came up against a high quality New Zealand Māori team that gave them little room to breathe almost from the kickoff. A sell-out crowd at Toyota Park wanted to see tries scored and they got what they paid for, but only from the men in black.

After an early kicking dual that only served to stall the inevitable a hasty decision to run from their own end put the Maori under surprising pressure. The Eagles worked an overlap and looked as though they would get the first try but Todd Clever couldn’t find the hands for the final pass to Danny Barrett and instead the ball was turned over short of the line. It wasn’t long before the Maori were away and their hands proved more capable with James Lowe on the end of the attack for the opening score.

The Eagles might have had some possession but the territory game was woefully lopsided. Will Holder was continually asked to dig his team out of a hole and when he couldn’t clear his lines the panic set in. Akira Ioane peeled around the back of a maul and went over untouched in the corner before Lowe got his second from a bit of class. Ihaia West chipped through for Matt Proctor to gather and quickly pop off to his winger in support for a third try. James Hilterbrand was binned for some sloppy work at the breakdown and Ash Dixon got a skipper’s score off the back of a driving maul to bring up half time.

Once the oranges were finished it was back out for more, and more of the same it was. With the Eagles still a man down it was another maul that set the platform for Ioane to get on the board for a second time as he coasted through the hapless defense. Thankfully a break in the storm was just ahead.

A bit of sustained possession put the Eagles in scoring position and while they struggled to find the gainline with quick ball a scarcity, they instead earned a penalty and opted for the corner. From the lineout they set the maul and it was captain Clever who squeezed in, with the TMO review confirming the touchdown much to the delight of the Chicago crowd.

The joy was turned around quick as you like with another touch of class from the New Zealanders. Holder’s long kick ahead found Damian McKenzie, who in turn gave Ioane the chance to gallop up the park in space. He dutifully returned the ball to his flying fullback and McKenzie found Kane Hames – a prop no less – on his inside for the final pass and in under the sticks. Quick thinking from Brad Weber off the back of a maul brought another score up, and a cheeky one to Joe Royal off a lineout brought an end to the proceedings.

If there are few lessons to be learned from the outcome American fans will know that at least their next two opponents will not be of the same quality. They will also take solace in the return of several overseas professionals, all of whom were sorely missed on a brisk evening in Bridgeview.

 

SCORING

USA EAGLES 7
Tries – T. Clever (49)
Cons – W. Holder (50)
Yellow cards – J. Hilterbrand (38)

NEW ZEALAND MĀORI 54
Tries – J. Lowe 2 (11, 33), A. Ioane 2 (18, 44), A. Dixon (39), K. Hames (51), B. Weber (63), J. Royal (79)
Cons – I. West 6 (12, 19, 34, 40, 45, 52), M. McKenzie (80)
Yellow cards – B. Weber (71)

 

TEAMS

USA EAGLES
1 Titi Lamositele 2 James Hilterbrand 3 Chris Baumann 4 Nate Brakeley 5 Nick Civetta 6 Todd Clever (capt.) 7 Tony Lamborn 8 Danny Barrett 9 Nate Augspurger 10 Will Holder 11 Matai Leuta 12 Folau Niua 13 Bryce Campbell 14 Martin Iosefo 15 Mike Te’o

16 Pat Blair 17 Joe Taufete’e 18 Angus MacLellan 19 Matt Jensen 20 Al McFarland 21 Stephen Tomasin 22 Shalom Suniula 23 Madison Hughes

NEW ZEALAND MĀORI
1 Kane Hames 2 Ash Dixon (capt.) 3 Ben May 4 Jacob Skeen 5 Tom Franklin 6 Elliot Dixon 7 Kara Pryor 8 Akira Ioane 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow 10 Ihaia West 11 James Lowe 12 Tim Bateman 13 Matt Proctor 14 Rieko Ioane 15 Damian McKenzie

16 Joe Royal 17 Chris Eves 18 Marcel Renata 19 Leighton Price 20 Shane Christie 21 Brad Weber 22 Marty McKenzie 23 Sean Wainui

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)