The USA men's 7s team ended the London 7s with a loss in the Shield Final 19-12 against France.

The Eagles started their day against Wales in the Bowl Quarterfinals, which Wales won 28-19.

It was a competitive match. After falling behind 7-0 the USA took the lead with tries from Colin Hawley and Mike Palefau just before halftime.

But they couldn't hold off Wales in the first half. Wales had one more shot and scored through Adam Thomas to tie the game 14-14 at the break.

Wales scored two minutes into the second half, and then once more. Zack Test got one back for the United States, but those early second-half tries did them in.

Bowl QFs
Wales 28
Tries: Smith, Thomas, Price, Walker
Convs: Walker 3, Jones

USA 19
Tries: Palefau, Hawley, Test
Convs: Enosa 2


The Eagles then faced Russia in the Shield Semifinal, and put in one of their best offensive performances.

Unhappy with their defensive performance against France, the Americans wanted to put the game away early. They started well - Andrew Durutalo scoring off the kickoff. But RUssia answered the USA try for try, and it was 14-12 with a minute left in the first half.

This time, it was the USA which scored either side of halftime. Zack Test did it before the break, and Nick Edwards, with a Russian in the sin bin, did it after.

Colin Hawley and Edwards once again put the game away in fine style 38-12.

USA 38
Tries: Edwards 2, Hawley, Durutalo, Test
Convs: Enosa 3, Suniula

Russia 12
Tries: Ostroushko, Galinovskiy
Convs: Yanyuskin

Another rematch in the Shield Final, as the USA played France on Saturday, losing 19-15.

This time it was 19-12.

France started the better, scoring through Renaud Delmas and Julien Saubade to lead 12-0 early.

But again the Eagles came back. Colin Hawley and Andrew Durutalo claimed tries - the second past the hooter - to tie the game 12-12.

But the Eagles could not explode offensively the way they did against France.

Yoann Laousse sidestepped his way to a try midway through the second half, and while the USA dominated possession the rest of the way, the French defense, despite a series of penalties, held.

With two minutes to go, the USA had a shot.

Palufau and Boyd had the corner but Boyd tried a sidestep on the wet ground and fell over.

The Eagles retained but gave up a scrum in a maul later on. That seemed to be the end of it, but somehow the American defense forced a knock-on.  One more scrum, and Zack Test unwisely ran into a pile of Frenchmen. He was held up, and with the whistle the game was over.

France 19
Tries: Laousse, Delmas, Saubade
Convs: Albaladejo 2

USA 12
Tries: Haley, Durutalo
Convs: Enosa


It was another tournament where the USA had work to do. On Sunday, it seemed they had the opportunity to take hold of games, and only against Russia were they able to do so. The team was certainly injury-embattled, but also emotionally so.

Perhaps mercifully, this IRB World Series season is over.