Lawrence: USA Selects Need More Urgency On D
Lawrence: USA Selects Need More Urgency On D
Scott Lawrence looks at the USA Selects performance after Round 1 of the APC.
USA Selects head coach Scott Lawrence will want to see a better performance in the Americas Pacific Challenge when the tournament resumes on Wednesday.
The USA team gave away a winning position and lost to Tonga A, going from 30-22 up to 39-30 down. Defense around the breakdown was lacking at critical moments, and Tonga A scored at least three tries exploiting that issue.
See All Americas Pacific Challenge games LIVE Here
"Urgency around the fringe defense was a big deal," said Lawrence, and really what he means there is that players had to move father to plug holes — including the hole behind the ruck, which was exploited for the game-winning try.
"It was a strange game, very stop-start and disjointed," said Lawrence. "But we created some exciting opportunities — opportunities we can build off on attack."
That included a well-executed try off a set piece finished by Tim Maupin, and an open-field counter-attack try scored by Vili Toluta'u. Ryan Matyas was instrumental in both, but the USA Selects also visited the Tonga A red zone several times and came away with little.
"We just need to trust our abilities a bit more," said Lawrence.
Related Content
- Major League Rugby Week 4 Recap: SaberCats Stand Alone Atop West
Mar 27, 2024
- Exciting United Rugby Championship Muted By Georgian Head Coach Cockerill
Mar 26, 2024
- Replay: Italy vs England | Mar 24 @ 3 PM
Mar 24, 2024
- Replay: Wales vs Scotland | Mar 23 @ 5 PM
Mar 23, 2024
- Replay: France vs Ireland | Mar 23 @ 2 PM
Mar 23, 2024
- Major League Rugby Week 4 Preview: Who Steps Forward In The West?
Mar 22, 2024
- Major League Rugby Week 3 Recap: Jackals Run Riot, Free Jacks Recover Well
Mar 20, 2024
- Six Breakthrough Guinness Six Nations Stars To Follow In The BKT URC
Mar 20, 2024
- Guinness Six Nations: Five Key Takeaways From The 2024 Championship
Mar 18, 2024