In Round Two of the Pacific Nation Cup, the USA Men’s Eagles battled hard in front of 6,079 fans at Heart Health Park in Sacramento, squaring up against a fast Japan attack, falling 47–21.
Japan’s pace and precision proved the difference, building an early lead and maintaining control throughout the match. The Eagles stayed in the fight with tough defense and tries from Kapeli Pifeleti (2) and Payton Telea-Ilalio, but the visitors capitalized on key moments to secure the win. Finishing third in Pool B, the USA will now venture to Denver for a 5th place playoff match against Samoa, and opportunity to qualify for Rugby World Cup 2027.
Head Coach Scott Lawrence said on the squad performance, “We generally did well for longer periods of time in this game, in terms of executing our plan for more minutes with ball in play. We just ran into a good team who punished us in the minutes we didn’t have the ball. Going into next week, we’ll look to increase those minutes for ourselves.”
Patty Ryan got the match underway with an early catch off the kickoff, setting the tone for the Eagles. The USA defense showed urgency from the opening minutes, forcing a key turnover deep in their own territory and later holding up Japan over the try line to deny an early score.
After Japan struck first, the Eagles answered. Kapeli Pifeleti led the charge, powering over the line twice in the first half to keep the USA within striking distance. His combination of pace and strength provided a spark on attack, and his second try just before halftime brought the score to 28–14, giving the home crowd plenty to cheer for.
Coming out of the break, the Eagles disrupted Japan’s set piece and forced turnovers to regain momentum. Mitch Wilson’s strong tackle at midfield showcased a physical edge the USA wanted to bring to the fast-phase contest.
In the closing stages, Payton Telea-Ilalio finished off a sequence of sharp passing to cross for his first international try, while Luke Carty added the conversion to close out the scoring.
Though Japan secured the victory, the Eagles saw some improvements from the opening match, with relentless defensive efforts and key attacking moments from the forward pack.
Heading off to Denver for week three of the tournament, the USA will have a week to prepare for a crucial fixture against Samoa at Dicks Sporting Goods Park, an exciting opportunity with the ultimate goal of qualification on the line.