The USA only lost 22-21 to Canada in their final pool play match at the Gold Coast 7s, but had they won they wouldn't have deserved it.

Despite a few moments of brilliance, the Eagles played horrendously, ending a frustrating day with a match where they turned the ball over ten times.

The game started with an embarrassingly soft try. The Eagles gathered the kickoff, set a ruck, and then didn't use the ball - it rolled out the back of the ruck, Nanyak Dala nabbed it, fed Sean Duke, and that was 7-0 on the softest of soft tries.

Moments later it was 12-0. Mike Palefau was taken out in the air on the restart, and the ball was quickly spun to Ciaran Hearn, who fended off Carlin Isles and scored in the corner to make it 12-0.

The Eagles got the ball again, but Zack Test knocked the ball on in contact, Canada countered, and Chauncey O'Toole eventually was the man stretching over the line. 17-0 Canada and the USA had not even made it out of their own 22.

Finally they did, winning the restart, and sending it to Maka Unufe, who made a move and raced 85 meters to score a brilliant try.

And then right on halftime, Tai Enosa was the man on the spot. After an attack had ended with a USA knock-on, Enosa pounced on the ball as it jetted out of the Canadian end of the scrum. He toed it ahead and then showed amazing control to kick it ahead, and change the ball's vector so Enosa could chase it. About to touch it down, Enosa was taken out of the play by Harry Jones. Penalty try, and a yellow card for Jones.

But Canada handled the sin bin period well. In the second half they forced a penalty and took an age and a half to kick to touch and take the lineout. The USA somehow couldn't defend seven on six, and Duke took the corner. Replays showed Duke actually didn't score - Mike Palefau got his foot on the ball and kicked it away (and had that been called, Unufe was away to score the other direction). But the try was given. 22-14 Canada.

More unnecessary knock-ons put the USA on the back foot, but finally they got another try - Luke Hume sidestepping his way into a gap and going in from long range. But they muffed a chance to do something with the ball with time up.

Yes the Eagles showed they have the ability to score tries, but continued turnovers and not-smart play is ruining their chances.

USA 21
Tries: Unufe, Penalty Try, Hume
Convs: Enosa 3

Canada 22
Tries: Duke 2, Hearn, O'Toole
Convs: Mack