2015–16 United States national rugby sevens team season

The United States national rugby sevens team season began the 2015–16 World Rugby Sevens Series by "shocking the world" when it defeated New Zealand for the first time at 2015 Dubai Sevens.[1] The United States team beat the 12-time World Series champion in pool play and again in the tournament's third-place match[2] before a third victory in as many matches in the 2015 South Africa Sevens Plate Semifinal.[3] The U.S. once again finished the season in sixth, tying its best ever finish. The previous season's scoring records were broken again, as Perry Baker notched 48 tries and Madison Hughes scored 331 points.

United States
2015–16 season

World Rugby Sevens Series
Leg Date Finish Record
(W-L-D)		 Leading Try Scorer Leading Points Scorer Dream Team
selection
DubaiDecember 20153rd4 – 2Perry Baker (6)Perry Baker (30)Perry Baker
South AfricaDecember 20156th3 – 3Madison Hughes (5)Madison Hughes (59)—
New ZealandJanuary 2016T-7th2 – 3Carlin Isles (4)Madison Hughes (21)—
AustraliaFebruary 2016T-7th2 – 3Perry Baker (5)Madison Hughes (30)—
United StatesMarch 20164th2 – 2 – 1Perry Baker (5)Perry Baker (25)Perry Baker
CanadaMarch 20166th3 – 3Perry Baker (8)Madison Hughes (48)Martin Iosefo
Hong KongApril 20166th4 – 2Perry Baker (7)Perry Baker (35)–
SingaporeApril 201610th3 – 3Zack Test (6)Madison Hughes (34)–
FranceMay 201611th2–3Zack Test (5)Zack Test (25)–
EnglandMay 20163rd3–2–1Perry Baker (8)Perry Baker (40)Perry Baker
6thPerry Baker (48)Madison Hughes (331)Perry Baker (3)

Dubai Sevens

Coming into the tournament, the U.S. had lost 28 consecutive matches to New Zealand. In pool play at the 2015 Dubai Sevens, however, the U.S. notched its first win, despite missing regular forwards Danny Barrett and Andrew Durutalo. The U.S. won 14–12 behind two tries from Perry Baker, and a touchline conversion from Madison Hughes at the end of the match.

The U.S. lineup against New Zealand was:

2015 Dubai Sevens pool play:
U.S. vs. New Zealand

Players

World Series
Leading U.S. players (2015–16 WS season)
PlayerMatchesCapsTacklesTriesPoints
Perry Baker55107848240
Folau Niua5510871155
Madison Hughes541011823331
Zack Test4998922110
Danny Barrett42825630
Garrett Bender39867420
Martin Iosefo377311050
Ben Pinkelman36742840
Maka Unufe347311050
Nate Augspurger32925335
Carlin Isles275301680
Thretton Palamo23612210
Matai Leuta1921210

Updated: May 23, 2016

2016 Summer Olympics squad

The table below shows the U.S. roster assembled for the most recent tournament. The statistics (events, points, and tries) refer to statistics generated in World Rugby Sevens Series tournaments.[4]

References
  1. "USA rugby sevens team shocks the world, defeats New Zealand", Washington Post, Jake Russell, December 4, 2015.
  2. "U.S. ends Dubai trip with second defeat of New Zealand, third place title" Archived December 22, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, USA Rugby, December 5, 2015.
  3. "U.S. continues roll over New Zealand in Cape Town Plate Semifinal" Archived December 22, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, USA Rugby, December 13, 2015.
  4. "USA Rugby Names 2016 U.S. Olympic Men's Rugby Team", July 18, 2016.
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