Brazil Defensive Stymies USA to Win Pan-Am Juniors
Brazil Defensive Stymies USA to Win Pan-Am Juniors
Brazil shocked just about everyone to win the women’s division of the Junior Pan-Am Games Rugby 7s, beating Canada and the USA to get there.
The USA took silver and Canada bronze.
This was a competition in which the North American teams, as well as Brazil and Argentina, seemed to be the class of the competition. Brazil was shifty, fast, athletic, and very good at changing direction while letting the ball do the work.
Despite beating Brazil on Day One in Asunción, Paraguay, the USA team were not at their best in the final on Day Two.
Pool Play Day One
The USA opened their account on Saturday with a 48-0 shutout of hosts Paraguay. With Annie Henrich and Bella Vogel pulling the strings they scored eight tries, with Fane Tausinga and Kori Fields scoring two each, while Henrich, Kiyanah Edwards, Vasiti Turagavou, and Paola Arredondo Almeida also crossed the line. Henrich added a conversion and Vogel added three.
Next up was Mexico and the USA was just too powerful in contact and too athletic and they won via shutout 39-0. Arredondo Almeida and Nalu Liufau both bagged a brace while Marley Larkin, Vogel, and Fields also touched down.
Vogel converted two.
So that set up the Pool B decider. The USA and Brazil had already booked a place in the semis so this was to decide who would face Pool A winners Canada in the semis on Sunday.
Tahna Wilfley’s early try set the tone but Brazil’s defense held strong to keep it 5-0 into the break. However, two tries form Marly Larkin put the game away 19-5 in a game that was much closer than the score made it appear.
Semis and Final Day Two
On Sunday, the young Eagles faced off with a very physical Argentina side and found themselves in a battle. The USA teamwork was solid and they were able to put Liufau into space twice for scored, with Henrich converting. But Argentina answered with one of their own, punishing a rather speculative pass to make it 14-7 at halftime. Argentina continued to work hard and you had to wonder if the early shutouts had made things a little too easy for the USA team. Another try made it 14-12 and under real pressure the USA forced a turnover and Henrich galloped through for a crucial try.
Tellingly in this game, the USA could have scored a couple more times but were too impatient, instead giving up penalties.
So on to the final, and here that impatience showed itself in spades. The USA were frustrated by a very good Brazil defense and instead of working the rucks and forcing Brazil to meet them physically, they forced some offloads. A potential break was balled back for a forward pass, and from that scrum Brazil went wide and showed their speed with Ariely Faria racing around the edge.
That made it 5-0. The Americans responded well with a series of offloads in close proximity to set up Larkin for a hard charge to the line. Vogel converted and the USA had the lead.
However, they would give it back. Once again forced to work their way out of their own end the USA team seemed to panic a little. They gave up a penalty for sealing in the ruck, and while they made their tackles they started to give up penalties.
A nice dummy and offload put Brazil through, and while Larkin made a heroic chase to prevent a try, mistakes and a high tackle led to Brazil racing in for their second—the USA were pinged for a high tackle as the try was made and Brazil got a penalty try to make it 12-7 at halftime.
The USA had a chance with the ball just before the break but couldn’t connect.
In the second half, it was almost all Brazil. The USA had one promising possession but a knock-on saw that end the chance. Instead they defended, and defended, and defenses. Stilly penalties that were all indicative of a team desperate to get the ball back—early jump in the lineout, not rolling away, and hands on the ground when you’re trying to poach—put the USA on their heels.
Faria burned them for a second try, and that was it. Brazil 17
For the USA, then, a bit of a lesson in how no one is going to roll over for you. They learned also that you have to keep your composure in high-level games.
A Word About the Jerseys
The Pan-Am Games is an Olympic event, and as a result, logos are strictly controlled. Amazingly, this also means national organization logos. USA Rugby’s logo was not allowed on the USA jerseys. This was a rule that someone failed to understand (we’re not sure who), but in the end the team played with a big, ugly patch on their kit where the USA Rugby eagle sits. Had they had maybe a little more time, they could have at least put an American flag on the chest—other teams got the memo and had their flags on the jerseys.
So if you’re wondering, as many fans were, why there was a red or white patch on the USA kit, that’s why.
Final Tally
Canada beat Argentina 24-0 to take Bronze.
Neither Canada nor the USA sent a men’s team for this event. The USA men’s junior team played at the World 7s in December and are expected to do so again this year, potentially. They will also have a development 7s team at RugbyTown 7s beginning August 22. However, that’s a slightly older group than the not-particularly-specific age range of the Pan-Am Juniors.
USA Women's Results:
USA 48 Paraguay 0
USA 39 Mexico 0
USA 19 Brazil 5
USA 19 Argentina 12
USA 7 Brazil 17
