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The USA’s opening game of RWC 2003 was a thriller. The Eagles took on Fiji at Lang Park in Brisbane, Australia. It was a fixture that literally went down to the wire. It was decided on the very last play of the match as a kick at goal was the difference as the match was decided by a single point.
For the North Americans the match was arguably the first of a tournament that was the end of an era. The British-based Eagles legends of Dan Lyle and captain Dave Hodges would both retire in the same season. The former hung up his boots after the RWC while the latter did so early on in the following RWC cycle.
In the match itself the USA Eagles outscored Fiji by two tries to one. It came with the Eagles back-row having an excellent performance. Captain Dave Hodges summed up the attitude of the players and many watching it live when he said:
“Nobody expected us to win and we almost pulled it off.”
Attendance: 30,990
SCORING
FIJI (19)
Try: Naevo
Conversion: Little
Penalty: Little (4)
USA (18)
Try: Van Zyl, Schubert
Conversion: Hercus
Penalty: Hercus (2)
TEAMS
FIJI
1 Joeli Veitayaki, 2 Greg Smith, 3 Naka Seru, 4 Ifereimi Rawaqa, 5 Apenisa Naevo, 6 Alfi Mocelutu Vuivau, 7 Koli Sewabu, 8 Alifereti Doviverata (capt.), 9 Moses Raulini, 10 Nicky Little, 11 Vilimoni Delasau, 12 Seru Rabeni, 13 Aisea Tuilevu Kurimudu, 14 Marika Vunibaka, 15 Alfie Uluinayau
Replacements: 16 Bill Gadolo, 17 Richard Nyholt, 18 Vula Maimuri, 19 Sisa Koyamaibole, 20 Waisale Serevi, 21 Epeli Ruivadra, 22 Norman Ligairi
USA
1 Mike MacDonald, 2 Kirk Khasigian, 3 Dan Dorsey, 4 Alec Parker, 5 Luke Gross, 6 Kort Schubert, 7 Dave Hodges (capt.), 8 Dan Lyle, 9 Kevin Dalzell, 10 Mike Hercus, 11 Riaan van Zyl, 12 Kain Cross, 13 Phillip Eloff, 14 David Fee, 15 Paul Emerick
Replacements: 16 Matt Wyatt, 17 John Tarpoff, 18 Gerhard Klerck, 19 Jurie Gouws, 20 Kimball Kjar, 21 Salesi Sika, 22 John Buchholz
