Unfortunately they weren't able to sustain their try-scoring form as they opened yesterday against England and fell 19-5 in a game characterized by defensive errors and Eagle miscues.
The next match against New Zealand's "Sisters" saw displays of brilliant defense from the Eagles, markedly improved from the first match, as they held the Kiwis to a 17-0 scoreline. Twitter was abuzz with compliments regarding the fantastic tackling and the defensive shifts the women made to cover a very dangerous NZ 7s side.
Despite an 0-2 record,the USA still had the chance to advance to the Cup Quarterfinals with a big enough victory over Ireland (also pending the scores of Japan v Argentina and Spain v Canada). The Eagles won 22-0 - normally a score to be pleased with and a dominant victory - but it wasn't enough as Japan bested Argentina 37-0 (the Eagles needed a point differential of less than 25 to move on) while Spain upset Canada 28-26. The Eagles thus moved on to the Bowl Semifinals for Day 2 of Brazil 7s.
Day 2 Rugby in the Rain. Canada v New Zealand Semifinal
Photo: iRB Women's Rugby twitter
There the Eagles made quick work of Argentina in their semifinal on a rain-soaked day 2. The match saw the Eagles score 7 unconverted tries in a 35-0 win over the Pumas in their 2013-2014 iRB debut. 6 different Eagles found their finishing moves in that game and the proclivity for points spilled over into the Bowl Final where they defeated hosts Brazil with a tidy and efficient 21-0 win.
The Day 2 effort makes up for a bit of a lackluster Day 1, and two shutouts with a 56-0 aggregate score are nothing to sneeze at. But it begs the question - why are the Eagles women coming up so short in pool play? What's going on with game preparation that in each tournament they have had to play numbers games to make/miss the Cup rounds? What is preventing them from punching their ticket to the Top 8 with dominant wins in opening games or by placing 1st/2nd in their pool? What held the Eagles back from running up the score against Ireland yesterday when points were a clear priority and what's with all the missed conversions this weekend? Why is the USA elevating and regressing with each tournament this season rather than sustaining the effort and building as the circuit progresses?
The lineup this week had only one change as compared to Atlanta, so the personnel was essentially the same as in the Plate run and last week's victory over England, so what changed - besides the weather which affected all 12 teams playing in hot, humid Sao Paulo?
Hopefully the next 6 weeks of training leading up to China produce some clear answers and results as this is a team with the clear potential to succeed. Nothing would be better than definitive pool play victories guaranteeing a decent seeding for the Cup round. There are flashes of amazing chemistry and magic with this women's team, but coming off a 3rd Place 7s World Cup finish and last year's 4th place Women's Sevens World Series showing, it's fairly disappointing that the Eagles currently sit in 7th place in the iRB standings.
For more details on this weekend's matches, here are the USA Rugby recaps:
Sao Paulo Sevens: Day One recap
SAO PAULO, Brazil – The Women’s Eagles Sevens will not make a run
for the Cup at Sao Paulo Sevens, the third round of the 2013-14 IRB
Women’s Sevens World Series, after limping out of Pool A with losses to
England and New Zealand and a win against Ireland Friday.
The Eagles defeated England in the Plate Semifinal of Atlanta 7s last weekend, but could not replicate the win in the first match at Arena Barueri Friday in a 19-5 loss. England’s Heather Fisher opened the scoring before Jessica Javelet showcased her speed to draw the Eagles within two at the half. The second half was all England however, as the Eagles failed to score in the final seven minutes and gave up two tries despite being up a player for several minutes.
It did not get any easier for the Eagles, who took on New Zealand in their second match of the day. Carla Hohepa scored two tries and Huriana Manuel added the insurance in a 17-0 shutout win for New Zealand.
The Eagles needed a win in their final pool match to have any shot at advancing to the Cup Quarterfinals and did the job with a 22-0 defeat of Ireland. Megan Bonny put the Eagles on the board in the third minute of the match and Javelet recorded her second career hat trick in just her ninth match to seal the deal for the Eagles.
Despite the win and a third-place finish good enough for the Cup Quarterfinals at Atlanta 7s last week, the Eagles will contest the Bowl for finishing Day One as the third-best third-place team in Sao Paulo. They will face Argentina in the Bowl Semifinal at 1:58 P.M. ET. With a win, the Eagles will advance to the Bowl Final, while a loss would put them in the 11th-Place Match.
Follow live updates with @USARugby on Twitter and watch Sao Paulo Sevens live on the Women’s Sevens World Series website.
The Eagles defeated England in the Plate Semifinal of Atlanta 7s last weekend, but could not replicate the win in the first match at Arena Barueri Friday in a 19-5 loss. England’s Heather Fisher opened the scoring before Jessica Javelet showcased her speed to draw the Eagles within two at the half. The second half was all England however, as the Eagles failed to score in the final seven minutes and gave up two tries despite being up a player for several minutes.
It did not get any easier for the Eagles, who took on New Zealand in their second match of the day. Carla Hohepa scored two tries and Huriana Manuel added the insurance in a 17-0 shutout win for New Zealand.
The Eagles needed a win in their final pool match to have any shot at advancing to the Cup Quarterfinals and did the job with a 22-0 defeat of Ireland. Megan Bonny put the Eagles on the board in the third minute of the match and Javelet recorded her second career hat trick in just her ninth match to seal the deal for the Eagles.
Despite the win and a third-place finish good enough for the Cup Quarterfinals at Atlanta 7s last week, the Eagles will contest the Bowl for finishing Day One as the third-best third-place team in Sao Paulo. They will face Argentina in the Bowl Semifinal at 1:58 P.M. ET. With a win, the Eagles will advance to the Bowl Final, while a loss would put them in the 11th-Place Match.
Follow live updates with @USARugby on Twitter and watch Sao Paulo Sevens live on the Women’s Sevens World Series website.
Six try-scorers score seven in Eagles' Sao Paulo Bowl Semifinal win
SAO PAULO, Brazil – The Women’s Eagles Sevens booked their ticket to
the Sao Paulo Sevens Bowl Final with a dominant, 35-0 win against
Argentina in the Semifinal Saturday.
Argentina did not help its own cause in the second minute with a second dangerous tackle warranting a sin bin trip for Gimena Acuna. Kelly Griffin took the ball at midfield and found the extra room to open the scoring for the Eagles.
A minute later, Lauren Doyle made it 10-0 when she used winger Jessica Javelet as a decoy to split two defenders and show off her own pace to add the Eagles’ second try.
Javelet did not waste her own opportunity on the next possession when she was given half an acre of space to extend the Eagles’ lead to 15-0, which they held at halftime.
In the first minute of the second frame, the Eagles passed the ball a dozen times without being tackled and Griffin finished the move with a run into the try zone. Jillion Potter bullied two defenders at the try line in the eleventh minute to bring the score to 25-0.
Christy Ringgenberg and Victoria Folayan were substituted by Eagles Head Coach Ric Suggitt for captain Deven Owsiany and Javelet. Folayan’s first touch of the ball resulted in the Eagles’ sixth try. The pass intended for Folayan was short, but a fortuitous bounce landed in the hands of the speedy wing, who outpaced her opposite number into the in-goal.
After the final whistle had gone, both teams refused to put an end to the match and Argentina cleared the ball from the try zone to midfield. Last week at Atlanta 7s, Suggitt mentioned after the Plate Final win against Spain he wished his girls would have scored one more instead of kicking the ball to touch.
In Brazil, Ringgenberg did just that to give the Eagles the 35-0 win. They will face Brazil in the Bowl Final after the host nation similarly defeated Ireland, 30-0, in the other Semifinal. Watch the Eagles live on the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series website at 5:26 P.M. ET from Sao Paulo and follow live match updates with @USARugby on Twitter.
Women's Eagles Sevens | v Argentina | Sao Paulo Sevens Bowl Semifinal
1. Deven Owsiany
2. Kelly Griffin
3. Jillion Potter
4. Rebekah Siebach
5. Christy Ringgenberg
6. Lauren Doyle
7. Victoria Folayan
8. Amelia Villines
9. Lorrie Clifford
10. Dana Meschisi
11. Megan Bonny
12. Jessica Javelet
Women's Eagles Sevens | 35
Tries: Griffin (2), Doyle, Javelet, Potter, Folayan, Ringgenberg
Conversions: None
Argentina did not help its own cause in the second minute with a second dangerous tackle warranting a sin bin trip for Gimena Acuna. Kelly Griffin took the ball at midfield and found the extra room to open the scoring for the Eagles.
A minute later, Lauren Doyle made it 10-0 when she used winger Jessica Javelet as a decoy to split two defenders and show off her own pace to add the Eagles’ second try.
Javelet did not waste her own opportunity on the next possession when she was given half an acre of space to extend the Eagles’ lead to 15-0, which they held at halftime.
In the first minute of the second frame, the Eagles passed the ball a dozen times without being tackled and Griffin finished the move with a run into the try zone. Jillion Potter bullied two defenders at the try line in the eleventh minute to bring the score to 25-0.
Christy Ringgenberg and Victoria Folayan were substituted by Eagles Head Coach Ric Suggitt for captain Deven Owsiany and Javelet. Folayan’s first touch of the ball resulted in the Eagles’ sixth try. The pass intended for Folayan was short, but a fortuitous bounce landed in the hands of the speedy wing, who outpaced her opposite number into the in-goal.
After the final whistle had gone, both teams refused to put an end to the match and Argentina cleared the ball from the try zone to midfield. Last week at Atlanta 7s, Suggitt mentioned after the Plate Final win against Spain he wished his girls would have scored one more instead of kicking the ball to touch.
In Brazil, Ringgenberg did just that to give the Eagles the 35-0 win. They will face Brazil in the Bowl Final after the host nation similarly defeated Ireland, 30-0, in the other Semifinal. Watch the Eagles live on the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series website at 5:26 P.M. ET from Sao Paulo and follow live match updates with @USARugby on Twitter.
Women's Eagles Sevens | v Argentina | Sao Paulo Sevens Bowl Semifinal
1. Deven Owsiany
2. Kelly Griffin
3. Jillion Potter
4. Rebekah Siebach
5. Christy Ringgenberg
6. Lauren Doyle
7. Victoria Folayan
8. Amelia Villines
9. Lorrie Clifford
10. Dana Meschisi
11. Megan Bonny
12. Jessica Javelet
Women's Eagles Sevens | 35
Tries: Griffin (2), Doyle, Javelet, Potter, Folayan, Ringgenberg
Conversions: None
Eagles win Bowl in Sao Paulo with defeat of host
SAO PAULO, Brazil – The Women’s Eagles Sevens won the Bowl Saturday
at Sao Paulo Sevens with a 21-0 defeat of host nation Brazil in the Bowl
Final. Jillion Potter scored two tries to lead the Eagles in the win.
Lauren Doyle almost opened the scoring after the first pass when she found daylight in otherwise rainy conditions, but she was tackled in open field before she could beat her last defender.
Potter scored her first try in the fifth minute by scooping up a loose ball and running underneath the sticks untouched. Amelia Villines kicked the first successful conversion for the Eagles on Day Two after they went 0-7 in the 35-0 win against Argentina in the Bowl Semifinal.
The Eagles took the slim lead into the half, but Potter needed just two minutes in the second frame to extend it. Much like her try in the win against Argentina, Potter bowled over two defenders on the try line to dot down. Villines successfully converted for a 14-0 lead.
With less than two minutes remaining, Christy Ringgenberg added the insurance tally and the extras to bring the final score to 21-0.
The Eagles finish Sao Paulo Sevens with a 3-0-2 record and hardware, as well as four points in the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series standings. The Eagles will next travel to China in April for Guangzhou Women’s Sevens, but not before some recovery and training at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.
Women's Eagles Sevens | v Brazil | Sao Paulo Sevens Bowl Semifinal
1. Deven Owsiany
2. Kelly Griffin
3. Jillion Potter
4. Rebekah Siebach
5. Christy Ringgenberg
6. Lauren Doyle
7. Victoria Folayan
8. Amelia Villines
9. Lorrie Clifford
10. Dana Meschisi
11. Megan Bonny
12. Jessica Javelet
Women's Eagles Sevens | 21
Tries: Potter (2), Ringgenberg
Conversions: Villines (2), Ringgenberg
Lauren Doyle almost opened the scoring after the first pass when she found daylight in otherwise rainy conditions, but she was tackled in open field before she could beat her last defender.
Potter scored her first try in the fifth minute by scooping up a loose ball and running underneath the sticks untouched. Amelia Villines kicked the first successful conversion for the Eagles on Day Two after they went 0-7 in the 35-0 win against Argentina in the Bowl Semifinal.
The Eagles took the slim lead into the half, but Potter needed just two minutes in the second frame to extend it. Much like her try in the win against Argentina, Potter bowled over two defenders on the try line to dot down. Villines successfully converted for a 14-0 lead.
With less than two minutes remaining, Christy Ringgenberg added the insurance tally and the extras to bring the final score to 21-0.
The Eagles finish Sao Paulo Sevens with a 3-0-2 record and hardware, as well as four points in the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series standings. The Eagles will next travel to China in April for Guangzhou Women’s Sevens, but not before some recovery and training at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.
Women's Eagles Sevens | v Brazil | Sao Paulo Sevens Bowl Semifinal
1. Deven Owsiany
2. Kelly Griffin
3. Jillion Potter
4. Rebekah Siebach
5. Christy Ringgenberg
6. Lauren Doyle
7. Victoria Folayan
8. Amelia Villines
9. Lorrie Clifford
10. Dana Meschisi
11. Megan Bonny
12. Jessica Javelet
Women's Eagles Sevens | 21
Tries: Potter (2), Ringgenberg
Conversions: Villines (2), Ringgenberg
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