By The Rugby Fan Central Team
USA WOMEN FINISH 4TH IN THE WORLD
BORDEAUX, France — One victory away from a championship final and two points shy of a podium finish, the USA Women’s Sevens team left Bordeaux with mixed emotions. There was disappointment after a narrow loss to Canada in the bronze-medal match, but there was also validation.
By reaching the semifinals and finishing fourth in Bordeaux, the Eagles secured a fourth-place finish in the final HSBC SVNS Championship standings, confirming their place among the world’s elite women’s sevens programs.
Over three days in France, the Americans showcased the depth, resilience, and attacking firepower that carried them through the season, defeating Great Britain, Spain, Canada, and host nation France before falling to eventual champion Australia and bronze medalist Canada.
While the weekend ended without a medal, Bordeaux provided further evidence that the USA remains firmly established among the top teams in world rugby sevens.
Building Momentum
The Americans arrived in Bordeaux with confidence and quickly demonstrated why they were among the contenders.
The tournament opened with a commanding 31-7 victory over Great Britain. Su Adegoke crossed twice in the opening three minutes, Erica Coulibaly added a pair of tries, and Ariana Ramsey completed the scoring in a performance that was as dominant statistically as it was on the scoreboard.
The USA recorded 38 carries to Great Britain’s 17, completed 44 passes, generated four clean breaks, and missed just two tackles while forcing Britain into 15 missed tackles. It was the type of performance that immediately signaled the Eagles’ intent.
Spain provided a far sterner test later that day. The teams were evenly matched in carries and clean breaks, but the Americans proved more clinical in key moments. Tries from Kaylen Thomas, Coulibaly, and Ramsey secured a hard-fought 19-15 victory and moved the USA to 2-0 in Pool C.
The Eagles completed an unbeaten pool stage on Saturday with a 33-22 victory over Canada. Kristi Kirshe scored twice while Alex Sedrick, Coulibaly, and Adegoke also crossed the line. The result not only secured first place in the pool but also demonstrated the squad’s impressive attacking depth.
Three matches. Three victories.
The USA entered the knockout rounds looking every bit like a championship contender.
The Tournament’s Defining Performance
If there was one match that defined the USA’s weekend, it came in the quarterfinals.
Facing host nation France in front of a partisan crowd at Stade de Bordeaux, the Americans delivered one of their most complete performances of the season.
The contest remained scoreless through much of the opening half as both teams searched for an opening. The breakthrough finally came in the seventh minute when Sammy Sullivan powered over for the game’s first try, giving the USA a 5-0 halftime advantage.
France remained within striking distance entering the second half, but the Americans never allowed momentum to shift.
In the 11th minute, Ramsey found space and crossed for the decisive score before Kayla Canett added the conversion to extend the lead to 12-0.
The scoreline was impressive.
The defensive performance was even more remarkable.
France failed to register a single clean break throughout the match. The USA controlled possession with 31 carries and 44 passes, forcing the hosts into 26 tackles while consistently winning the territorial battle.
Against a dangerous French side backed by a home crowd, the Eagles delivered a shutout.
It was the type of victory championship contenders produce.
Six Minutes That Changed Everything
Awaiting the USA in the semifinals was Australia, the eventual tournament champion and overall series winner.
The final score read 21-7, but the match was effectively decided in a devastating six-minute stretch.
Australia struck in the opening minute through Heidi Dennis before Madison Ashby and Isabella Nasser added tries in rapid succession. By the sixth minute, the Australians had built a commanding 21-0 lead.
The USA answered immediately.
Thomas crossed for a try before halftime, and Canett’s conversion reduced the deficit to 21-7.
What followed was perhaps the most revealing part of the contest.
Neither team scored in the second half.
After weathering Australia’s explosive start, the Americans settled into the match and competed evenly with one of the world’s premier programs. In fact, the USA finished with more carries and more passes than Australia. The difference was Australia’s ruthless efficiency during the opening minutes, converting three early opportunities into three tries.
At the highest level of rugby sevens, six minutes can decide a semifinal.
Thomas Leads the Final-Day Fight
The bronze-medal match against Canada offered one final opportunity for the Americans to leave Bordeaux with silverware.
Instead, it produced one of the tournament’s most dramatic contests.
Thomas opened the scoring in the second minute before Canada responded with two tries to take a 14-7 halftime lead.
The USA refused to fade.
Thomas scored twice more after the break to complete a hat trick and briefly push the Eagles back in front. Canada eventually responded through Charity Williams before Savannah Bauder’s conversion restored the lead and ultimately secured a 21-19 victory.
The final margin reflected just how close the contest was.
The Americans recorded four clean breaks to Canada’s two and carried the ball more frequently throughout the match. Despite creating numerous opportunities, they were unable to find the decisive score in the closing stages.
The result denied the USA a place on the podium, but it did little to diminish an otherwise impressive weekend.
A Season of Progress
The lasting image of Bordeaux should not be the two-point defeat to Canada.
It should be a team that reached the semifinals, shut out France on its home field, pushed eventual champion Australia after an early deficit, and finished the season ranked fourth in the world.
Thomas emerged as one of the tournament’s standout performers, scoring five tries, including a hat trick in the bronze-medal match. Coulibaly added four tries, while Ramsey and Adegoke each crossed three times. Kirshe, Sullivan, Sedrick, Canett, and others played critical roles throughout the weekend, highlighting the depth that has become a hallmark of the program.
Just as importantly, the USA concluded the HSBC SVNS Championship Series ranked fourth overall, finishing alongside the sport’s traditional powers and ahead of France, Japan, Fiji, Spain, Argentina, Great Britain, Brazil, and South Africa.
The podium narrowly slipped away in Bordeaux.
The bigger picture, however, remains encouraging.
The Eagles finished fourth in the final tournament of the season and fourth in the world standings. More importantly, they demonstrated that they can consistently compete with the best teams on the international stage.
For a program continuing to chase Australia and New Zealand at the top of the sevens landscape, Bordeaux was not an ending.
It was another step forward.