Often in international rugby teams can point to a few things that they do right and others where it doesn't go right; sometimes it all goes right.
What if the USA combined the possession consistency they had against Hong Kong, and the adventurous ball-handling they showcased against Argentina XV, and the explosiveness Perry Mayo has shown without the weird decisions, and the tenacity of those close matches against Portugal and Spain without the momentum-shifting mistake?
Well, that was Saturday in Bucharest.
The Eagles were, rightly, expected to be in an arm-wrestle against Romania in the 5th round of the Nations Cup. Instead, they blew past the Oaks to win 53-24, bring back the Pershing Cup, and, in fact, clinch Pool A in the Nations Cup with one week to go.
It all just worked. Romania was not good under the high ball and because of that we saw the benefits of the USA kicking game. But the Eagles also did something they didn't really do against Hong Kong last week—converted possession into points. With 60% of possession last week the Eagles scored four tries. This time, with 52%, they scored eight against an arguably better opponent.
It all started quickly with a Romania infraction and a Chris Hilsenbeck penalty goal. But as the USA began to build their attack they started to operate with a bit more variety. At 14 minutes Hilsenbeck sent a well-weighted kick to the wing that Noah Brown caught on the fly before spinning out of a tackle and charging to the corner.
Not that long after, the Eagles got a penalty and took the lineout. Instead of mauling it, something most USA opponents would expect, they ran a play off scrumhalf Oscar Lennon, with center Dom Besag racing in as a dummy runner. That opened a gap and Lennon fed wing Rufus McLean coming off the right side, and McLean was in.
Conversion good and it was 15-0.
Romania scored a bit of a weird try after that. With the Oaks pressuring, center Taylor Gotineac passed to No. 8 Adrian Emmanuel Mitu with the idea of looping around. It wasn't a good pass and hit Mitu in the foot. However, the ball bounced up perfectly back into Gotineac's hands and the curved around to score.
Here's where skeptical Eagles fans will have garnered some optimism. Right after that try the USA regained the initiative. A series marching into the Romanian half ended with some quick passing out to Mayo, and the fullback wasted no time in taking a gap to make it 22-5.
Romania responded after a kick missed touch, with fullback Marius Simionescu mounting a counter-attack. That led to a penalty and, finally, flanker Cristi Boboc was driven over from the maul.
That made it 22-10 after halftime..
