USA retain their title at USA Sevens

USA retained their title in Las Vegas with a 27-0 victory over Samoa in the Cup final and become the outright leaders on the World Rugby Sevens Series 2019.

Three scintillating days of action at the Sam Boyd Stadium saw the home team finish on top of the world and that further emphasises their credentials as potential series winners come the end of the season. 

After four consecutive Cup final appearances, finishing with four losses, Mike Friday's outfit were willed on by a packed house. The fervent home support brought out the best of the side and the result was a converted final victory and the retention of the title that they won in Las Vegas 12 months ago. 

Despite losing Danny Barrett to injury at the end of the second day, the outfit dominated the Cup final with physicality in defence and sharp finishing in attack. In contrast Samoa, playing in their first Cup final since 2016, didn't settle and went into the interval 10-0 down. 

The USA upped the tempo in the second seven minutes and never looked like losing. They scored five tries in the final with two coming from the HSBC Player of the Final Ben Pinkelman and kept their opponents scoreless. 

All 16 teams that took to the stage in Las Vegas will now rest and recuperate before reconvening for the next leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in Canada on 9-10 March.