The USA men's national team has qualified as Americas 1 after defeating Canada in record-setting fashion 52-16 on Saturday in San Diego.

With the victory, the Eagles won the two-game World Cup Qualifier series 80-44 and will enter Pool C for the 2019 tournament in Japan. This is the first time the USA has beaten Canada in World Cup qualifying. The game itself was tight in the middle, but after a couple of key momentum shifts, the USA exploded for five tries in the final 30 minutes.

Strong Start

The USA got off to a strong start, winning the ball off the kickoff and working through a longer series of phases inside Canada's 22. The Canadian defense made gaining meters difficult, and maybe that instilled a little impatience in the USA team. Mike Te'o tried a risky offload out of contact, and it was lost forward.

Canada got a penalty from the ensuing scrum and cleared, but the Eagles were able to get the ball back and once again went through several phases before a forced pass from Nate Augspurger rolled into touch. 

But once again the Eagles got the ball back, and quickly this time they went wide. AJ MacGinty dummied to create a gap and was through. He sent a looping pass to Ryan Matyas on the left wing, and Matyas passed back inside to center Bryce Campbell. Surrounded by Canadians, the Scholz Award winner popped a backhanded pass to No. 8 Cam Dolan, who was free and clear to score the USA's first try.

That was in the 10th minute, and Canada had hardly touched the ball. The Canadians wouldn't get any meaningful possession until about the 13th minute. But then they were slow to use it. At one ruck, the ball was there to be passed out, but no one from Canada was on the spot. USA lock Nick Civetta drove right over the ball and forced a turnover. Tony Lamborn took the ball up and then quickly offloaded to Dolan, who beat two would-be tacklers to go over in the corner. 

MacGinty hit the touchline conversion or the 12-0 lead.

Canada finally got some momentum forward, and after some aimless kicking from the USA team, a penalty allowed scrumhalf Gordon McRorie to put over a kick for three points.

But right from the restart, the Eagles forced Canada to kick to touch. And from that lineout, Dolan rescued the ball at the back and then passed from the ground to lock Nate Brakeley, who galloped in from 15 meters. MacGinty hit the conversion to give the USA a 19-3 lead.

Momentum Shift

But after that, the Eagles found themselves pinned in their own end a bit more. An ill-advised quick lineout isolated Madison Hughes in his 22 and led to another penalty. 

Canada opted for the lineout this time and pounded against the USA tryline through a series of pick-and-goes. The Eagles held but eventually gave up a penalty that McRorie put over.

And then, with time up in the second half, Tony Lamborn was harshly penalized for coming in from the side on a fractured maul, and since referee Andrew Brace had warned the USA a couple of times, Lamborn got a yellow card. McRorie put the kick over to make it 19-9, and the Eagles went into the break having given up a little bit of the momentum.

That momentum stayed in Canada's favor in the second half as a series of poor plays by the Americans led to Canada's first try. A low clearance kick from MacGinty, and a poor chase, got Canada moving, and with the USA defensive line somewhat in disarray, wing Dan Moor cut back through a hold and then popped a pass to flanker Admir Cejvanovic, who did the rest. McRorie hit the difficult conversion, and just like that it was 19-16.

The Eagles weren't done shooting themselves in the foot. This time it was the USA's turn to leave the ball unattanded at the back of the ruck. Andrew Coe picked it up, and Canada went wide to the left and almost scored. Mike Te'o's tackle of Moor stopped what looked like a sure try.

Fortunes Change

The Eagles' fortunes finally seemed to turn when they had a penalty for a dangerous tackle that set up an attacking lineout. The USA forwards set up the maul, but Civetta was not able to get low. While 20 or so USA players got involved in the maul, Canada managed to force the scrum. Still the USA stayed attacking inside the Canadian half for yet another multi-phase period, only to be penalized, once for holding on and once for backchat from Dolan.

But another (and somewhat harsh, for Canada) dangerous tackle penalty turned things around for the Eagles once more. Canada was all set for a penalty at midfield but instead found themselves defending a lineout seven meters from their line. It was a risky call by captain Todd Clever to go for the try, but it worked, as the USA maul was excellent. Joseph Taufete'e, just on for James Hilterbrand, was at the back of the train and touched it down.

MacGinty's conversion attempt was perfect, and the Eagles led 26-16 with 25 minutes to go.

Right from the restart Canada got a penalty when the USA players were offside on a knock-on. They went for the lineout, too, but the Americans stopped the Canadian maul, won the scrum, and then got out of their own end.

They got out because Canada high-tackled Marcel Brache, and Augspurger took a quick tap that almost broke free for 80 meters. The Eagles support did well to keep the play going, and they got another ruck penalty to set up another maul. Canada collapsed that one illegally, and finally the referee Brace went to his pocket, sending No. 8 Tyler Ardon to the sideline for the infraction.

The ensuing maul wasn't as pretty as the last one, but it was good enough, especially Canada shorthanded. Taufete'e went over for his first try with Andrew Durutalo and Lamborn helping him.

MacGinty's kick from the sideline was, once again, perfect to stretch the USA's lead to 33-16.

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And then the Eagles twisted the knife. A big, worrying high ball from Canada was taken brilliantly by Hughes at fullback. He caught the ball in traffic and squirmed his way forward. The ball was sent left quickly to Matyas, who beat three Canadians and cut back as he crossed halfway. Running in a smart support channel was Augspurger, and Matyas sent a perfect pass to his scrumhalf, who scored under the posts.

Following a successful conversion, the forwards were right there over the ball and pummeled it ahead before Dino Waldren took it over. MacGinty nailed the kick, and the USA led 47-16.

It could have been over 50 had Durutalo, on a big break into the Canada 22, looked right instead of left. Eventually, though, Taufete'e finished off one more movement, and the Eagles won 52-16. The yellow card to Ardron certainly cost Canada, but the USA had already turned the tide by then.

This was the final Eagles game for head coach John Mitchell, who leaves for another job, and Clever, who captained the USA for the 50th time and is retiring from international rugby. It was a perfect sendoff for Clever, who said he was hugely proud of the USA effort.

USA 52

Tries: Dolan 2, Taufete'e 3, Brakeley, Augspurger, Waldren
Convs: MacGinty 6

Canada 16

Tries: Cejvanovic
Convs: McRorie 
Pens: McRorie 3

Notes: Canada got two pieces of bad news before kickoff when DTH van der Merwe, who scored two tries against the USA on June 24, and dangerous wing Taylor Paris were ruled out due to injury. USA prop Chris Baumann was off due to injury within 10 minutes, replaced by Dino Waldren. Baumann returned only to be blindsided at a lineout, leading to him being taken off again. Referee Andrew Brace for the most part tried to let the players play, but as a result he was  indulgent with Canada's habit of not releasing the tackled play -- to the point of not even requesting the Canadians roll away. Canada was strong in the scrums and forced the USA into several costly penalties.

USA Lineup 1. Tony Purpura 2. James Hilterbrand 3. Chris Baumann 4. Nate Brakeley 5. Nick Civetta 6. Todd Clever (C) 7. Tony Lamborn 8. Cam Dolan 9. Nate Augspurger 10. AJ MacGinty 11. Ryan Matyas 12. Marcel Brache 13. Bryce Campbell 14. Mike Te'o 15. Madison Hughes Reserves 16. Joe Taufete'e at '52 for Hilterbrand 17. Ben Tarr at '40 for Purpura 18. Dino Waldren at '9 for Baumann 19. David Tameilau at '52 for Civetta 20. John Quill at '63 for Brakeley 21. Andrew Durutalo at '55 for  22. Shaun Davies at '72 for Augspurger 23. Will Magie at '72 for MacGinty

Canada Lineup  1. Djustice Sears-Duru 2. Ray Barkwill 3. Jake Ilnicki 4. Brett Beukeboom (C) 5. Evan Olmstead 6. Admir Cejvanovic 7. Matt Heaton 8. Tyler Ardron 9. Gordon McRorie 10. Shane O'Leary 11. Dan Moor 12. Connor Braid 13. Nick Blevins  14. Andrew Coe 15. Ciaran Hearn Reserves 16. Benoit Piffero 17. Anthony Luca 18. Matt Tierney 19. Kyle Baillie 20. Aaron Carpenter 21. Andrew Ferguson 22. Guiseppe du Toit 23. Sean Duke