USA XV captain Jason Damm has praised the team’s grit after a nail-biting 25-24 win over an Argentina XV in Fort Lauderdale, as the Eagles-heavy side overcame significant pressure to “stay in the fight” against a strong opponent.
Argentina had more than 85 per cent of possession in the final 10 minutes, but the USA found a way to get the job done in an international friendly. The visitors continued to apply pressure with the clock in the red, but centre Tavite Lopeti made a match-defining play in defence.
Lopeti stripped the ball loose from the grasp of an Argentinian player, before utility back Julian Roberts kicked the ball into the stands. It’s another solid win for the USA, with most of these players backing up from the World Rugby Nations Cup in July.
The USA started their campaign in the all-new competition with thrilling wins over another three sides bound for Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia. Chris Hilsenbeck was the hero in a one-point win over Portugal, before the USA defeated Zimbabwe and Spain.
USA coach Scott Lawrence then named a strong XV roster for the match against the Argentina outfit, in what loomed as a valuable opportunity against high-level opposition. It came right down to the wire, but captain Damm seemed pleased by the character shown by the side.
“We put ourselves under a bunch of pressure with our discipline. It’s something we really wanted to work on and we’ve still got a ways to go before we get there. Just letting them too easy into our end,” Damm said on the broadcast, which is on RugbyPass TV.
“But the boys showed a lot of grit to finish this game, like we’ve been doing.
“We know when we’re under pressure, we can take that pressure and transfer it back and really stay in the fight.”
Fly-half Luke Carty got the USA on the scoreboard with a penalty goal in the fourth minute, but Argentina hit back almost immediately through hooker Martin Vaca. That set the tone for an eventful first half, which had many twist and turns.
The two teams traded tries another two times, with Argentina taking a two-point lead into the break. Makeen Alikhan had been shown a yellow card for a ruck infringement, seeing the USA go down to 14 men for 10 minutes.
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Carty put the home side ahead with a 52nd minute penalty goal, before a Damm send backrower Marno Redelinghuys through a gap for five points. The USA led by as much as eight with less than 20 to play, but the visitors remained in the fight.
No. 8 Thiago Sbrocco crossed with 10 left for Argentina, setting up a grandstand finish. Argentina turned down a couple shots at goal and instead chose to go for a lineout once and a scrum on another occasion.
But Lopeti’s defensive heroics ultimately won the match for the USA, with Roberts sending the ball high into the stands at the Florida venue. It wasn’t a capped Test match, but the USA players have been working hard for it over the last two weeks, since assembling at the IMG Academy.
“We’ve been grafting all week,” Damm reflected.
“The boys have been really fighting in this heat and working hard for each other.
“Those are the moments where it really counts, right? You see we come out positively on the right side.”
The USA return to official capped Test match rugby in less than one month, when they will face a Japan side who just went down to the Wallabies in Townsville. Japan conceded 42 unanswered points in sweltering North Queensland conditions.
Their clash with the USA takes place in the semi-final stage of the Pacific Nations Cup, with Fiji playing Canada in the other fixture. The title decider will be held a week later in Osaka, as well as the third-place playoff.
“We could look at three wins but for me it was three performances where we improved each time and we just happened to get the wins as well,” he discussed.
“This again, it’s another opportunity to improve as we head [into the Pacific Nations Cup].”
