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USA beat Zimbabwe for the first time to stay unbeaten in Nations Cup
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The USA Men’s Eagles have improved their record to 2-0 in the all-new World Rugby Nations Cup, with the first-ever number one Major League Rugby Draft pick among the try-scorers in a 31-15 win over Zimbabwe in Charlotte.
Chris Hilsenbeck was the hero for the USA in a nail-biting one-point win over Portugal seven days ago in Denver, but the Eagles had to quickly turn their focus to another Test against a team bound for Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027.
Zimbabwe punched their ticket to the showpiece event in Australia with a 30-28 victory against Namibia in the Rugby Africa Cup Final last year, but were looking to bounce back from a tough defeat to Tonga last weekend.
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The USA got off to a flyer at American Legion Memorial Stadium, with winger Conner Mooneyham touching down for the opener in his return to Test rugby. Mooneyham was the first-ever number one pick in MLR Draft history and has now made eight appearances for the national team.
Hilsenbeck added the extras with a difficult conversion attempt, and the Eagles weren’t done there as they continued to soar. Perry Mayo, who debuted for the USA in the win over Portugal, crossed for the team’s second try in just the sixth minute.
But the Sables fought their way back into the contest with tries to Edward Sigauke and Aiden Burnett, and a conversion from Bruce Houston levelled the scores at 12-all. Zimbabwe then took the lead for the first time when Houston nailed a long-range penalty attempt.
The visitors took the lead, and it got worse for the USA before it got better. Makeen Alikhan was shown a yellow card under review in the 29th minute, with the home side going down to 14 men for practically the rest of the first half.
Zimbabwe took a hard-earned three-point lead into the sheds and continued to hold onto that advantage for a decent period in the second term. It took the USA 15 minutes to hit back, but once they raced back out in front, they would not be caught again.
Nathan Den Hoedt crashed over for his first try in a USA jersey, with the Australian-born backrower peeling off a maul in the 56th minute. Hilsenbeck struck the right post with the conversion attempt from near the sideline.
As each minute ticked by, the intensity of the match increased.
USA captain Jason Damm made an error off the restart, which Zimbabwe set up for an attacking lineout about five metres out from the try line, but a double pump saw a free kick awarded in the home side’s favour.
The drama was relentless, with fans left on the edge of their seats as the countdown to full-time ticked by. Luke Carty made it a five-point game with a penalty in the final 20 minutes, before the replacement iced the result.
Zimbabwe packed down for a scrum inside their own half, but the USA forwards made a match-defining statement by winning a penalty against the feed. Carty stepped up and extended the team’s lead to beyond a converted try for the first time.
Cory Daniel, who scored last weekend for the USA, made it two tries in as many matches for the backrower with an effort in the 77th minute. Replacement scrum-half Ethan McVeigh found the openside flanker unmarked out wide with a cut-out pass.
That try well and truly sealed the win for the USA, who have beaten Zimbabwe for the first time ever. The Eagles face another tough Test up next, hosting Spain at Cary’s First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park on July 18.
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