AJ MacGinty returns to action with a hat trick and Joe Taufete’e tied the front row try record in USA Rugby’s expansive 71-8 win over Chile. With the win, the USA opens the 2019 Americas Rugby Championship with a 1-0 record. It was an impressive display of firepower, but points won’t be quite so easy in the next match against Argentina XV.
No Time Wasted
The Eagles wasted no time bringing it to their opponents. Joe Taufete’e, entering the test one try shy of the world record for front row players, touched down at 2′ from the back of a maul. Three minutes later, MacGinty threaded the Chilean defense for his first of the day.
Paul Lasike and big man Nick Civetta added to the try total. By the 25th minute, the Eagles already led 26-3. They would never look back. The test was never in doubt.
The Speed of Davies
Shaun Davies has been the first choice scrum half for the USA for a while now. In that time, we’ve seen all elements of his game improve. He’s gotten to be a better and a wiser box kicker. His game management and flow from the ruck has improved. His delivery is solid.
One feature not always on offer is Davies’ speed. It was, however, served up to the Chileans on Saturday. His try was the most obvious example. At the 29th minute, he finished off a nice sequence by taking a pass from Lasike and bringing it home through the last gasp Chilean defense. In that sequence, he appeared to be the quickest man on the pitch, bursting through the middle and outdistancing his teammates.
But it was on display throughout. He seemed more eager to attack and he played like more of a weapon in his own right. That could be a result of young Ruben de Haas and the other stable of young scrum halves called into camp. de Haas did his own damage, showing his wheels and running in a nice try from 22 meters out. de Haas got some meaningful playing time when Davies was out with a concussion in the fall. His play was a bit inconsistent, but he showed enough to be pushing for that starting job.
And that may be driving Davies to keep improving his own play, to keep enhancing the impact he makes. All the better for the Eagles.
The Many Hats of MacGinty
It’s good to have AJ back. In case anyone forgot what the young man can do, he casually scored three tries after months of injury. Admittedly, the defense wasn’t putting up much of a roadblock. Particularly by the second half. But AJ still managed to make his scores seem effortless.
MacGinty has been a force for the Eagles since his discovery in the 2015 Pacific Nations Cup. The Dublin-born fly half scored 25 points and walked away with a contract to play for Connacht.
From there, he’d star both for the USA in the 2015 World Cup and for Connacht. He leveraged those successes into a job with the Sale Sharks in the Premiership, where he became one of the premier professional fly halves in the northern hemisphere.
He will be among the USA’s most potent weapons heading into the 2019 World Cup.
Welcome Tadhg
Congratulations to Tadhg Leader, who earned his first cap and scored his first try as an Eagle. It came in the 68th minute. Chile had been making a goal-line stand. Ruben de Haas, in for Davies, recycled the ball. Tadhg lined up cleverly, standing as a first receiver option, but well wide of the first few Chilean defenders. That essentially isolated those defenders from the play. de Haas read it and swung it wide to Leader, who snuck into the corner.
Tadhg has trod an interesting path. Also Irish-born, Leader is also connected with Connacht. He played in their academy, where he helped them win a 2011 U-20 grand slam. After struggling with injuries, he worked his way through professional rugby in Italy, through Lindenwood University, and ultimately to the San Diego Legion. In 2018, he began as the back up for Eagle (and now Seawolf) Ben Cima. After Cima was hurt, Leader filled in admirably and re-established a name for himself in the US.
Now, Leader has thrown his lot in with the New England Free Jacks, who will play an exhibition season in 2019. They are set to join Major League Rugby in 2020.
Leader may very well serve an important role this Rugby World Cup. If AJ gets hurt, it is currently unclear who the next fly half up would be. Both Will Hooley and Will Magie have shots at the job. But so does Leader. The competition internally can only be good, bringing out the best in each. Depth at fly half is not something the USA is accustomed to having. Seeing it develop is encouraging.
Record Watch
Though he scored after only two minutes, Taufete’e would not score again on the day. That leaves him tied for the front row try record. His ascendancy to the top of the list will have to wait. Hopefully, the wait won’t be long. It is unclear how much longer the USA will have Mighty Joe available in this ARC. Long enough, we hope, to score at least one more try. History awaits!
Next Up
Argentina XV, February 9.
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