The USA Men's 15s team caps off its summer tour with a very challenging test match against Georgia in Tbilisi.
This meeting has traditionally been very close but this is young and rebuilding USA team facing a seasons Lelos side that just beat Romania 56-6 (the same Oaks side the Eagles beat 31-17).
So this will certainly be a challenge. However, at the same time, the USA team matches up a little better with Georgia than they do against Portugal. It wasn't just Portugal's deep three that won last week's test match, but they had a lot to do with it. The USA scrum and maul and maul defense are all quite good at the moment, and they can negate some of the positives for Georgia.
In addition, the USA defense (yes, yes they gave up 46 points to Portugal and it was almost 51) is quite good in a number of issues. Mostly they can defend phase after phase and they can handle the physicality.
The USA gave up seven tries to Portugal and for the most part they were because of silly penalties, counterattacking, and a kicking game.
First try: two penalties and then a launch off a scrum; second try: a counter on broken play and a grubber through. Third try: penalty and then a defensive breakdown; fourth try: two kicks. Fifth try: a missed tackle; sixth try: a grubber through; seventh try: penalty and a maul.
So phase-to-phase defense gave up two tries.
New Lineup vs. Georgia
Head Coach Scott Lawrence moves Sam Golla to lock and puts Cam Dolan at blindside flanker. Another change in the back row is Thomas Tu'avao starting at No. 8 in place of Luke White. Ruben de Haas gets a start in place of Nick McCarthy at scrumhalf. Tommaso Boni returns at inside center and partners with Tavite Lopeti to make a different midfield combination for the third straight game. Chris Mattina starts at fullback in place of Mitch Wilson.
On the bench, Dom Besag comes in. The USA U20 captain was called up to the Eagle squad after his performance at the World Rugby Trophy, and he now could earn his first cap. If he does, he will be the second-youngest Eagle ever, with only prop David Ainu'u Titi Lamositele being younger when he made his debut. Actually, disregard that last sentence. That's not correct—the three youngest USA debutants, as far as we can tell, are: Titi Lamositele at 18 years and 117 days, David Ainu'u at 18 years, 355 days, and Thretton Palamo at 19 years and eight days. Besag comes after those three.