American Rugby News

Posted: October 29, 2006

US wins Bangkok 7s

Bangkok, Thailand – The new-look US 7s squad has notched a win in its first international outing with a victory in the Cup Final Sunday at the Bangkok Sevens.

The Eagles posted a 17-10 decision against the Samurai in the final. The Samurai, a team based in the UK, contained five England pool players. The US was up 17-5 as time was winding down when the Samurai scored a late try to make it a seven-point spread in the end.

“One of our goals was to better our defense. This so far we’ve accomplished,” said US head coach Al Caravelli. “The boys played solid defense in the first half. We also should have scored two other tries that we lost in the tackle and knock-on.”

USA:
Andrew McNaughton
Kevin Mongold
Dallen Stanford
Jone Naqica (Capt)
Andrew Osborne
Jason Pye

Substitutes:
Patrick Komongnan for Naqica, Stanford moves to #10
Jarvis Albury for McNaughton
Jeff Hullinger for Osborne

Early success for US in Bangkok

Bangkok, Thailand – One of the youngest US Sevens teams in history has tasted early success at the Bangkok Sevens in Thailand.

In Saturday’s qualifying portion of the two-day tournament, the Eagles held their competition scoreless. First up they beat the Thailand Southerners 52-0 in a blowout that saw eight tries by six different Eagles. In the second match of the day, the US beat the Skindogs from Sydney, Australia 5-0 in a tough defensive battle.

Of the 12 players on this squad, whose average age is just over 23, the most experienced Eagle, flyhalf Jone Naqica, of the Denver Barbos, led in points with a try and four conversions, all of which he scored in the first match. Both Kevin Mongold (Scioto Valley) and Andrew ‘Tui’ Osborne (Washington RFC) scored 10 points in that first match as well, while Takudzwa Ngwenya (University of Dallas) scored one try in each match to also finish the day with 10 points. Additionally, Jason Pye, (University of Utah), Dallen Stanford (Oxy Tigers) and development team member and former U19, Patrick Komongnan, of Washington RFC, all scored points in the Eagles first shutout of the day.

The US resumes play on Sunday in the Cup quarterfinals. This first competitive tour abroad, which also includes an event in Singapore next weekend, should provide this Eagles sevens team with some tough competition. This squad sports only three members that have played on an international sevens squad before and Al Caravelli, who is starting his second season as the men’s sevens head coach, is excited to see how his squad makes out.

“We are looking forward to these competitions,” Caravelli said, “and are anxious to see how the guys progress. I really feel like I can put my stamp on this team and I am confident that if they compete to their potential, this tour will be a success.”

The Bangkok event marks the first of six tournaments over the next several months in which the US will cover the globe aiming to win as may points as possible on the IRB Sevens World Series circuit.

First Day results:
USA 52, Thailand Southerners 0 (Halftime: 19-0)
Tries: Pye, Naqica, Osborne (2), Mongold (2), Komongnan, Ngwenya
Conversions: Naqica, 4, Stanford, 2

USA 5, Australia Skindogs 0
Tries: Ngwenya