The USA Men’s Eagles were big winners in Bucharest on Saturday. A brilliant performance from the North Americans resulted in a 53-24 victory that included six Eagles tries and saw them completing a fifth victory in the 2026 World Rugby Nations Cup tournament.
The Eagles started well. Just three minutes into the match, Chris Hilsenbeck slotted a penalty goal. Romania went close to scoring the opening try in response but were held-up. Having come away without conceding points, the USA then made Romania pay with Hilsenbeck kicking long for winger Noah Brown to score.
Further points followed with the Eagles going 15-0 ahead. This time Oscar Lennon combined with Rufus McLean as the former Scotland international crossed.
The remainder of the first-half was more competitive. The Stejarii fought back to convert possession into points in the 26th minute. Iliesa Tiqe scored to make it a 10 point deficit. The USA then made the shots pay for a mistake with Perry Mayo scoring and Hilsenbeck converting for a 22-15 lead.
The Eastern Europeans regathered to end the first-half on a high. Following good work from Nicolas Onuțu, the Stejarii were on the attack from a lineout. They set up a lineout to maul from which captain Cristi Boboc scored.
The USA were 22–10 up as the second-half got underway. They took little time to add to this as Jason Damm scored from a pick-and-go. Hilsenbeck converted for 29–10.
The Stejarii were unable to fight-back as the Eagles’ defense proved to be too strong. Then second-rower Nathan Den Hoedt followed his captain’s example to power over. Hilsenbeck again converted and the North Americans were in control, leading 36–10.
When center Tavite Lopeti scored the result was beyond doubt at 43–10. The well-taken try featured an up-and-under and a good break down the left from Lopeti’s fellow center, Dom Besag.
The hosts did manage to run in late tries but it was too late. Rufus McLean added a second before the final score went the way of Romania with Adrian Mitu crossing and replacement Alin Conache converting.
The victory sees the USA Eagles securing the Pershing Cup and also the World Rugby Nations Cup Pool B trophy.
ROMANIA (24)
TRY – T Gontineac (28′), Cristi Boboc (38′), Penalty Try (’70’), Adrian Emanuel Mitu (81′)
CON – No Kick (70′), A Conache (82′)
USA EAGLES (53)
TRY – N Brown (14′), R McLean 2 (21′, 76′), P Mayo (31′), J Damm (44′), N Den Hoedt (50′), T Lopeti (65′)
CON – C Hilsenbeck 5 (22′, 32′, 45′, 51′, 66′), Tom Pittman (77′)
PEN – C Hilsenbeck (3′), Tom Pittman (72′)
YC – N Ma’afu (70′)
ROMANIA
1 Iulian Hartig, 2 Tudor Butnariu, 3 Jean-Pierre Smith, 4 Andrei Mahu, 5 Adrian Motoc, 6 Cristi Boboc (capt.), 7 Keanan Murray, 8 Adrian Mitu, 9 Gabriel Rupanu, 10 Daniel Plai, 11 Iliesa Tiqe, 12 Taylor Gontineac, 13 Atila Septar, 14 Nicolas Onuțu, 15 Marius Simionescu
Replacements: 16 Adrian Tala, 17 Alexandru Savin, 18 Gheorghe Gajion, 19 Logan Weidner, 20 Iacopo Bianchi, 21 Alin Conache, 22 Fonovai Tangimana, 23 Tevita Manumua
USA EAGLES
1 Jack Iscaro, 2 Kapeli Pifeleti, 3 Tonga Kofe, 4 Nathan Den Hoedt, 5 Jason Damm (capt.), 6 Ben Bonasso, 7 Paddy Ryan, 8 Nafi Ma’afu, 9 Oscar Lennon, 10 Chris Hilsenbeck, 11 Noah Brown, 12 Dom Besag, 13 Tavite Lopeti, 14 Rufus McLean, 15 Perry Mayo
Replacements: 16 Kaleb Geiger, 17 Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 18 Charlie Abel, 19 Sam Golla, 20 Rhyno Herbst, 21 Marno Redelinghuys, 22 Spencer Huntley, 23 Tom Pittman
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (England)
Assistants: Saba Abulashvili (Georgia) & Saba Makharadze (Georgia)
TMO: Paulo Duarte (Portugal)
