USA Men’s Eagles Soar to Silver at the Nairobi HSBC Tournament

The international rugby sevens HSBC Tournament season kicked off with an explosion of energy and high-stakes drama at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium. As the first stop of the HSBC SVNS 2 tour, the event set the stage for a thrilling race toward the World Championship. While Germany emerged as the surprise gold medalists, the USA Men’s Eagles Sevens made a powerful statement by clinching the silver medal through a display of tactical discipline and defensive grit.
USA Men's Eagles Sevens open season with silver in Kenya

A Dominant Start for the Eagles

The USA entered the HSBC Tournament with clear intentions of dominance. Day one saw the Eagles go undefeated, starting with a clinical 21-0 victory over Belgium. David Still opened the scoring, followed by quick strikes from Pita Vi and Lucas Lacamp. The momentum continued into a nail-biting encounter against Uruguay. Despite trailing late in the game, a moment of magic from Pita Vi secured a narrow 14-12 victory, proving the team’s composure under pressure.

The Eagles finished their first day with a statement win in a North American derby against Canada. Lucas Lacamp was the star of the show, delivering a four-try performance that powered the USA to a 41-7 victory. By the end of the opening day, the Eagles looked like the team to beat in this leg of the HSBC Tournament.

Navigating Challenges at Altitude

The second day in Nairobi presented new challenges, particularly with the thin air and high intensity of the competition. The USA suffered a setback in their first match of the day against a clinical German side. Germany capitalized on every opportunity, scoring four unanswered tries to hand the Eagles a 28-7 defeat.

This loss meant that the final standings of the HSBC Tournament would come down to the very last match against the host nation, Kenya. With the home crowd roaring in support of “Shujaa,” the pressure was immense. However, the USA responded with what coaches described as a world-class defensive performance. Tries from Jack Wendling and Adam Channel, set up by the ever-reliable Lacamp, allowed the USA to defeat Kenya 21-5. This victory was enough to push the Eagles into the silver medal position based on a favorable points differential.

Germany and Argentina Take Gold

While the USA secured silver, Germany was the story of the men’s division, staying clinical throughout the weekend to take home the gold. In the women’s competition, Argentina (Las Yaguaretés) claimed the inaugural title of this HSBC Tournament leg. Despite a dramatic golden-point loss to South Africa in their final game, Argentina’s earlier performances and bonus points earned them the top spot on the podium. HSBC SVNS 2 Nairobi Winners

The home fans did have something to celebrate, as Kenya’s George Ooro was named the Men’s Player of the Tournament. On the women’s side, Sofia Gonzalez of Argentina took home the top individual honors. The series now moves to South America, with upcoming events in Montevideo and São Paulo, where teams will continue to fight for a top-four finish to qualify for the elite World Championship series. George Ooro: Kenya 7s stalwart's formative rugby journey - People Daily

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