The 2019 USA Sevens (also sometimes referred to as the 2019 Las Vegas Sevens) is the sixteenth edition of the USA Sevens tournament, and the sixth tournament of the 2018–19 World Rugby Sevens Series.[1] The tournament was played March 1–3, 2019 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

2019 USA Sevens
Sevens World Series XX
Host nationUnited States United States
Date1–3 March 2019
Cup
Champion United States
Runner-up Samoa
Third New Zealand
Challenge
Winner Scotland
Tournament details
Matches played45
Tries scored262 (average 5.82 per match)
Most points Nathan Hirayama (53)
Most tries Carlin Isles (8)
2018
2020

In January 2019, it was reported that the 2019 USA Sevens would be the last in Las Vegas, with the event moving to an unknown city starting from 2020. Possible options are San Diego, which had been home to the USA Sevens before it moved to Las Vegas; San Francisco, which hosted the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens; and Miami in Florida. Among the reported reasons included the uncertain status of Sam Boyd Stadium with the upcoming stadium not due to be ready until summer 2020, poor living environment at the team hotels (the stadium is far distant from the main tourist area of the Las Vegas Strip), and safety concerns due to an unusually narrow pitch with team benches very close to the touchlines (Sam Boyd Stadium is built for American football, a sport with a playing field about 20 metres narrower than a standard rugby pitch). The stadium's normal pitch is artificial turf, which raised even more safety concerns in the early years of the event's run in Las Vegas, but temporary grass pitches were used in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 events.[2]

Format

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The teams are drawn into four pools of four teams each. Each team plays every other team in their pool once. The top two teams from each pool advance to the Cup bracket where teams compete for the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals. The bottom two teams from each group go to the Challenge Trophy bracket.

Teams

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Fifteen core teams played in the tournament along with one invitational team, the winner of the 2019 Sudamérica Rugby Sevens, Chile:[3]

Pool stage

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All times in Pacific Standard Time (UTC−08:00). The pools were scheduled as follows:[4]

Pool A

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Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
  New Zealand 3 3 0 0 85 26 +59 9
  Samoa 3 2 0 1 52 73 −21 7
  Spain 3 0 1 2 40 57 −17 4
  Canada 3 0 1 2 50 71 −21 4
1 March 2019
15:44
Spain  12–12  Canada
Try: Alonso 1'm
Fontes 10'c
Con: Hernández (1/2) 11'
Try: Braid 4'm
Cejvanovic 14'c
Con: Hirayama (1/2) 14'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Jordan Way (Australia)
1 March 2019
16:06
New Zealand  33–0  Samoa
Try: Ware (2) 3', 4'
Molia (2) 6'c, 11'c
Baker 7'm
Con: Koroi (3/4) 3', 4', 7'
Rokolisoa (1/1) 11'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
1 March 2019
18:45
Spain  21–26  Samoa
Try: Sainz-Trapaga 3'c
Alonso 8'c
Mateu 13'c
Con: Hernández (1/1) 3', 9', 14'
Try: Solia 3'c
Afamasaga 4'c
Alofipo 10'c
Samuelu 12'm
Con: Mealoi (3/3) 4', 5', 10'
Alofipo (0/1)
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Damián Schneider (Argentina)
1 March 2019
19:07
New Zealand  33–19  Canada
Try: Rokolisoa 0'
Ravouvou 6'c
Mikkelson (2) 7'c, 10'm
Nareki 9'c
Con: Rokolisoa (4/4) 1', 6', 8', 9'
Koroi (0/1)
Try: McCloskey 3'm
Fuailefau 7'c
Jones 14'c
Con: Hirayama (2/3) 7', 14'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
2 March 2019
12:14
Canada  19–26  Samoa
Try: McCloskey 5'
Hirayama (2) 8'c, 11'm
Con: Hirayama (2/3) 6', 8'
Try: Alofipo (2) 0'm, 3'c
Vaili 7'c
Motuga 12'c
Con: Mealoi (2/3) 4', 7'
Paulo (1/1)13'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Jérémy Rozier (France)
2 March 2019
12:36
New Zealand  19–7  Spain
Try: Ravouvou 0'c
Koroi 4'c
Dickson 11'm
Con: Koroi (2/2) 1', 5'
Baker (0/1)
Try: Mateu 10'c
Con: Mateu (1/1) 10'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Damián Schneider (Argentina)

Pool B

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Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
  Argentina 3 2 0 1 62 63 −1 7
  United States 3 2 0 1 69 46 +23 7
  France 3 1 0 2 56 43 +13 5
  Kenya 3 1 0 2 41 76 −35 5
1 March 2019
16:28
France  15–17  Argentina
Try: Laugel 10'm
Barraque 12'm
Mignot 14'm
Con: Barraque (0/3)
Try: Mare 1'm
Etchart 6'c
Con: Mare (1/2) 6'
Bazan Velez (0/1)
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Paulo Duarte (Portugal)
1 March 2019
16:50
United States  26–10  Kenya
Try: Isles (2) 2'm, 5'c
Tomasin 8'c
Hughes 11'c
Con: Hughes (3/4) 5', 9', 11'
Try: Ojee 6'm
Onyala 13'm
Con: Taabu (0/2)
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Damián Schneider (Argentina)
1 March 2019
19:29
France  31–7  Kenya
Try: Riva 4'm
Barraque 6'c
Parez 8'c
Laugel 12'c
O'Connor 13'm
Con: Barraque (3/5) 7', 9', 12'
Try: Onyala 10'c
Con: Taabu (1/1) 11'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Francisco González (Uruguay)
1 March 2019
19:51
United States  24–26  Argentina
Try: Isles (2) 0'm, 11'
Iosefo 3'c
Tomasin 7'c
Con: Hughes (2/4) 4', 7'
Try: Bazan Velez 5'c
Barbier 8'm
Luna 10'c
Gonzalez 14'
Con: Bazan Velez (1/1) 6'
Mare (2/3) 11', 14'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Richard Kelly (New Zealand)
2 March 2019
12:58
Argentina  19–24  Kenya
Try: Mare 2'm
Provenzano 3'c
Ulloa 9'c
Con: Mare (1/2) 4'
Ulloa (1/1) 10'
Try: Kuto (2) 5'm, 10'
Ojee 7'c
Taabu 8'c
Con: Taabu (2/4) 7', 8'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
2 March 2019
13:20
United States  19–10  France
Try: Pinkelman 4'm
Iosefo (2) 7'c, 7'
Con: Hughes (2/3) 7', 8'
Try: Deghmache 10'm
Mazzoleni 12'm
Con: Barraque (0/2)
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)

Pool C

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Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
  South Africa 3 2 1 0 60 17 +43 8
  England 3 2 0 1 65 41 +24 7
  Japan 3 1 0 2 31 64 −33 5
  Chile 3 0 1 2 12 46 −34 4
1 March 2019
17:12
South Africa  26–0  Japan
Try: Du Preez 6'c
Visser 7'm
Davids 11'c
Ndlhlovu 14'c
Con: Du Preez (1/2) 6'
Davids (2/2) 11', 14'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Francisco González (Uruguay)
1 March 2019
17:34
England  22–0  Chile
Try: Burgess (2) 0'm, 6'm
Olowofela 2'c
Edwards 13'm
Con: Bibby (1/3) 3'
Edwards (0/1)
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Jérémy Rozier (France)
1 March 2019
20:13
South Africa  5–5  Chile
Try: Du Preez 3'm
Con: Du Preez (0/1)
Try: De Vidts 10'm
Con: Fernández (0/1)
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Paulo Duarte (Portugal)
1 March 2019
20:35
England  31–12  Japan
Try: Norton (3) 4'c, 7'm, 8'c
Muir 5'm
de Carpentier 10'c
Con: Edwards (2/4) 5', 8'
Mitchell (1/1) 11'
Try: Lisala 1'm
Ozawa 13'c
Con: Nakazawa (1/1) 13'
Goya (0/1)
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Jordan Way (Australia)
2 March 2019
13:48
Japan  19–7  Chile
Try: Ozawa 2'm
Koyama 7'c
Ishida 13'c
Con: Nakazawa (1/1) 8'
Fujita (1/1) 13'
Hayashi (0/1)
Try: Verschae 5'c
Con: Fernández (1/1) 6'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Francisco González (Uruguay)
2 March 2019
14:10
England  12–29  South Africa
Try: Bowen 5'm
Kerr 12'c
Con: Edwards (1/2) 13'
Try: Snyman 1'm
Soyizwapi 7'm
Geduld 8'c
Pretorius 10'
Davids 14'c
Con: Du Preez (1/3) 9'
Davids (1/2) 14'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Richard Kelly (New Zealand)

Pool D

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Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
  Australia 3 3 0 0 76 27 +49 9
  Fiji 3 2 0 1 84 52 +32 7
  Scotland 3 1 0 2 43 74 −31 5
  Wales 3 0 0 3 28 78 −50 3
1 March 2019
15:00
Australia  26–0  Wales
Try: Holland 1'c
Quinn 6'
Hutchison 8'c
Porch 10'c
Con: Porch (3/3) 1', 8', 10'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
1 March 2019
15:22
Fiji  36–12  Scotland
Try: Nacuqu (2) 1'm, 7'c
Botitu (2) 3'm, 12'm
Veilawa (2) 7'c, 14'c
Con: Nacuqu (1/3) 7'
Veilawa (2/3) 8', 14'
Try: McFarland 6'c
Fergusson 10'm
Con: Lowe (1/2) 6'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Richard Kelly (New Zealand)
1 March 2019
18:01
Australia  24–12  Scotland
Try: Hutchison 1'm
Skelton 6'c
Porch (2) 7'c, 12'm
Con: Holland (1/1) 6'
Porch (1/3) 7'
Try: McFarland 2'c
Lowe 4'm
Con: Lowe (1/2) 2'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
1 March 2019
18:23
Fiji  33–14  Wales
Try: Kunavula 1'm
Tuwai 4'c
Nacuqu 6'c
Naduva 7'c
Dranisinukula 9'c
Con: Botitu (1/1) 5'
Nacuqu (2/3) 6', 7'
Veilawa (1/1) 10'
Try: Devine (2) 3'c, 12'c
Con: Treharne (1/1) 3'
Davies (1/1) 12'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Jérémy Rozier (France)
2 March 2019
11:30
Wales  14–19  Scotland
Try: Roach 2'c
Devine 9'c
Con: Davies (2/2) 2', 10'
Try: Farndale (2) 4'm, 12'c
Lowe 6'c
Con: Lowe (1/2) 7'
Fergusson (1/1) 13'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Jordan Way (Australia)
2 March 2019
11:52
Fiji  15–26  Australia
Try: Tuwai 2'm
Dranisinukula 10'm
Veilawa 11'm
Con: Veilawa (0/2)
Botitu (0/1)
Try: Skelton 1'c
O'Donnell 5'm
Kennewell 7'
Holland 13'
Con: Porch (2/3) 2', 14'
Holland (1/1) 8'
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Referee: Paulo Duarte (Portugal)

Knockout stage

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Thirteenth place

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Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
3 March 2019 – 11:00 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
 
  Wales31
 
3 March 2019 – 13:56 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  Japan14
 
  Wales12
 
3 March 2019 – 11:22 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  Canada21
 
  Canada28
 
 
  France12
 

Challenge Trophy

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Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
2 March 2019 – 16:08 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
 
  Spain19
 
3 March 2019 – 11:44 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  Wales7
 
  Spain24
 
2 March 2019 – 16:30 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  Kenya7
 
  Japan15
 
3 March 2019 – 15:10 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  Kenya28
 
  Spain14
 
2 March 2019 – 16:52 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  Scotland15
 
  Scotland21
 
3 March 2019 – 12:06 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  Canada19
 
  Scotland17
 
2 March 2019 – 17:14 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  Chile5
 
  France12
 
 
  Chile17
 

5th place

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Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
3 March 2019 – 12:28 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
 
  Fiji14
 
3 March 2019 – 15:35 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  South Africa12
 
  Fiji14
 
3 March 2019 – 12:50 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  England19
 
  Australia14
 
 
  England33
 
 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
2 March 2019 – 17:46 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
 
  New Zealand19
 
3 March 2019 – 13:12 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  Fiji14
 
  New Zealand19
 
2 March 2019 – 18:08 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  United States24
 
  South Africa10
 
3 March 2019 – 16:30 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  United States29
 
  United States27
 
2 March 2019 – 18:30 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  Samoa0
 
  Australia20
 
3 March 2019 – 13:34 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  Samoa21
 
  Samoa33
 
2 March 2019 – 18:52 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  Argentina19 Third place
 
  Argentina26 (a.e.t.)
 
3 March 2019 – 16:00 – Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
 
  England21
 
  New Zealand26
 
 
  Argentina19
 

Tournament placings

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Place Team Points
    United States 22
    Samoa 19
    New Zealand 17
4   Argentina 15
5   England 13
6   Fiji 12
7   Australia 10
  South Africa 10
Place Team Points
9   Scotland 8
10   Spain 7
11   Chile 5
  Kenya 5
13   Canada 3
14   Wales 2
15   France 1
  Japan 1

Source: World Rugby

Players

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Scoring leaders

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Tries scored
Rank Player Tries
1   Carlin Isles 8
2   Sione Molia 7
3   Jerry Tuwai 5
  Max McFarland
  Nathan Hirayama
Points scored
Rank Player Points
1   Nathan Hirayama 53
2   Carlin Isles 40
3   John Porch 36
4   Sione Molia 35
5   Madison Hughes 34

Source: World Rugby

Dream Team

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The following seven players were selected to the tournament Dream Team at the conclusion of the tournament:[5]

Forwards Backs
  David Afamasaga
  Stephen Tomasin
  Ben Pinkelman
  Sione Molia
  Martin Iosefo
  Jerry Tuwai
  Carlin Isles

References

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  1. ^ "2019 USA Sevens Rugby - 10th Anniversary of the USA Sevens Tickets Available Now - USA Sevens". Usasevens.com. Archived from the original on 19 January 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  2. ^ Johnston, Patrick (2019-01-29). "Leaving Las Vegas: USA Sevens to move for 2020". The Province. Vancouver. Retrieved 2019-02-02.
  3. ^ "Chile crowned Sudamérica Rugby Sevens champions". 13 January 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  4. ^ "2019 HSBC USA Sevens Pools Announced". usasevens.com. Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  5. ^ "Seven stars made up HSBC Dream Team in Vegas". World Rugby. 5 March 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
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World Sevens Series XX
Preceded by 2019 USA Sevens Succeeded by
USA Sevens
Preceded by 2019 USA Sevens Succeeded by