2017–18 United States national rugby sevens team season

The 2017–18 United States national rugby sevens team season included both the 2017–18 World Rugby Sevens Series and the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens. The season began badly. In the first tournament of the 2017–18 World Rugby Sevens Series in Dubai, 2017 World Rugby Player of the Year Perry Baker suffered a concussion, and the United States team limped to a last place finish. The U.S. improved from that point on, reaching the semifinals of the Australia Sevens. The team then won the 2018 USA Sevens, the first time the U.S. won their home tournament, boosted in large part by Perry Baker, who led all scorers with 8 tries.[1][2] Baker, along with forwards Ben Pinkelman and Danny Barrett all made the tournament Dream Team.[3][4] Overall the team displayed inconsistent performances, reaching the Cup semifinals three times, but also failing to qualify for the cup quarterfinals three times. Despite the inconsistent play, the U.S. finished sixth overall.

United States
2017–18 season

2017–18 World Sevens Series

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2017–18 Season
Leg Date Finish Record
(W-L-D)
Leading Try Scorer Leading Points Scorer Dream Team
selection
Dubai December 2017 15th 0–5 Carlin Isles (3) Carlin Isles (15)
South Africa December 2017 6th 4–2 Carlin Isles (6) Madison Hughes (37)
Australia January 2018 4th 3–3 Perry Baker (9) Perry Baker (45) Ben Pinkelman
New Zealand February 2018 9th 4–1–1 Perry Baker (8) Perry Baker (40)
United States March 2018 1st 6–0 Perry Baker (8) Perry Baker (40) Pinkelman, Barrett, Baker
Canada March 2018 4th 3–3 Perry Baker (7) Perry Baker (37) Perry Baker
Hong Kong April 2018 6th 3-2-1 Carlin Isles (7) Carlin Isles (35)
Singapore April 2018 9th 4–2 Carlin Isles (8) Carlin Isles (40)
England June 2018 6th 3-2-1 Carlin Isles (8) Carlin Isles (40)
France June 2018 6th 3-2-1 Carlin Isles (6) Carlin Isles (30)

Player statistics

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The following table shows the leading players for the U.S. after the 2017–18 Sevens Series season. Among all World Series, players, Isles ranked first in tries scored with 49, and Baker ranked fifth with 37. Ben Pinkelman ranked fourth in tackles with 124 and fourth in matches played with 58.

Leading U.S. players (2017–18 WS season)
Player Position Matches Tackles Tries
Ben Pinkelman Forward 58 124 11
Matai Leuta Forward 46 82 8
Martin Iosefo Back 55 80 22
Folau Niua Halfback 52 80 9
Stephen Tomasin Forward 38 67 15
Madison Hughes Halfback 23 61 5
Perry Baker Back 30 58 37
Danny Barrett Forward 49 56 17
Kevon Williams Halfback 47 52 14
Carlin Isles Back 53 40 49
Maka Unufe Back 33 36 9
Malon Aljiboori Forward 30 19 2

Source: World Rugby website.

2018 USA Sevens

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The United States won the tournament by beating Argentina 28–0 in the final. This was the first time that the United States won its home tournament. USA's Perry Baker led the tournament with 8 tries and 11 breaks.[5] Baker, Pinkelman, and Barrett were all named to the seven-man tournament Dream Team.

2018 USA Sevens final:
U.S. starting lineup
Player Position
Danny Barrett Forward
Ben Pinkelman Forward
Matai Leuta Forward
Folau Niua Scrum-half
Kevon Williams Fly-half
Martin Iosefo Center
Perry Baker Wing

With the U.S. finishing out the game with a lineup that included Isles (wing), Baker (center), Williams (fly-half) and Aljiboori (forward), it is believed that this is the first time the U.S. has fielded a team where the majority of players are African-American.[6]

2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens

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Semi-finals5th Place Final
 
      
 
22 July 2018 – 11:56 – AT&T Park
 
 
  Scotland 0
 
22 July 2018 – 17:02 – AT&T Park
 
  United States 28
 
  United States 7
 
22 July 2018 – 12:18 – AT&T Park
 
  Argentina 33
 
  Argentina 26
 
 
  France 15
 
7th Place
 
 
22 July 2018 – 16:40 – AT&T Park
 
 
  Scotland 29 (a.e.t)
 
 
  France 24

Round of 16

20 July 2018 (5) United States   35–0   Wales (12) AT&T Park  
21:37 Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)

Quarterfinals

21 July 2018 (5) United States   19–24   England (4) AT&T Park  
16:38 Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)

5th place semi-finals

22 July 2018 (5) United States   0–28   Scotland (8) AT&T Park  
11:56 Referee: Jérémy Rozier (France)

5th place final

22 July 2018 (5) United States   7–33   Argentina (7) AT&T Park  
17:02 Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Union / Club
1 BK Carlin Isles (1989-11-29)November 29, 1989 (aged 28) Unattached
2 FW Ben Pinkelman (1994-06-13)June 13, 1994 (aged 24) Denver Barbarians
3 FW Danny Barrett (1990-03-23)March 23, 1990 (aged 28) Unattached
4 FW Matai Leuta (1990-07-20)July 20, 1990 (aged 28) Unattached
5 FW Brett Thompson (1990-08-17)August 17, 1990 (aged 27) Unattached
6 BK Kevon Williams (1991-06-07)June 7, 1991 (aged 27) Denver Barbarians
7 BK Folau Niua (1985-01-27)January 27, 1985 (aged 33) Unattached
8 BK Maka Unufe (1991-09-28)September 28, 1991 (aged 26) Unattached
9 FW Stephen Tomasin (1994-09-25)September 25, 1994 (aged 23) Unattached
10 BK Madison Hughes (c) (1992-10-26)October 26, 1992 (aged 25) Unattached
11 BK Perry Baker (1986-06-29)June 29, 1986 (aged 32) Unattached
12 BK Martin Iosefo (1990-01-13)January 13, 1990 (aged 28) Unattached
BK Chris Mattina (1993-03-31)March 31, 1993 (aged 25) New York Athletic Club
FW Pat Blair (1990-01-27)January 27, 1990 (aged 28) Unattached

Head coach: Mike Friday [7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Las Vegas Sevens: 'Gladiator' USA team win on home soil", CNN, March 5, 2018.
  2. ^ "Perry Baker took USA to sevens gold in Vegas – now the hard work begins", Guardian, March 5, 2018.
  3. ^ "Las Vegas Sevens: 'Gladiator' USA team win on home soil", CNN, March 5, 2018.
  4. ^ "Perry Baker took USA to sevens gold in Vegas – now the hard work begins", Guardian, March 5, 2018.
  5. ^ "Las Vegas Sevens: 'Gladiator' USA team win on home soil", CNN, George Ramsey, March 5, 2018.
  6. ^ "Benchmark Breach of Color Barrier for Eagles?", Rugby Mag, Pat Clifton, March 27, 2018.
  7. ^ "USA Men's Squad Named for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018". USA Rugby. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.