USA Suffers A Humiliating 18-0 Defeat At The Hands Of Australia
The U.S. men's rugby sevens team had a mixed day on Thursday, securing a victory over Uruguay but suffering a loss to Australia. Perry Baker from Volusia County was unstoppable, scoring a record-breaking four tries to power Team USA to a dominant 33-17 win over Uruguay.
"At the end of the day, it's not about me, it's about the team," said Baker in media reports. "If you look at those tries, every one came from someone doing their job, and my job is just trying to finish for those guys. That's what it's about. It's a team effort all the way around. It comes from a team effort and those guys always trying to find a way to free me away."
In the second game, U.S. and Australia engaged in a defensive struggle early on, but the Aussies broke through to lead 10-0 at halftime. Despite a determined effort in the second half, the U.S. couldn't bridge the gap, succumbing to an 18-0 defeat.
Team USA's medal hopes were dashed following the defeat by Australia. They will now compete for fifth place against Ireland in a consolation match on July 27 at 7 a.m. MDT.
Interestingly, the United States has a rich history in rugby. They were actually the Olympic champions in the sport in both 1920 and 1924. However, rugby's popularity has fluctuated over the years in the country.
The U.S. team had earlier produced one of the most unexpected results of the opening day at the Stade de France, battling the host nation to a 12-12 draw. Given the stark difference in world rankings – France at No. 4 and the U.S. at No. 19 – the tie felt like a monumental achievement for the Eagles. To draw against the formidable French squad on their home turf was a feat that few would have predicted. Unfortunately, the magic that propelled the U.S. to such a remarkable result against France didn't carry over into their subsequent match against Fiji and Australia.
JUDY ROTICH