Geiger's Late Try Keeps USA Perfect as Eagles Edge Hong Kong China 28-26 in Nations Cup Thriller

With four minutes left in Bourg-en-Bresse, the USA were losing, and the clock was doing what clocks do to teams chasing a game. Then Kaleb Geiger, a former wrestler who had come off the bench, barrelled over from close range, Christopher Hilsenbeck landed the conversion, and the Eagles had stolen a 28-26 win over Hong Kong China that keeps their perfect record in the World Rugby Nations Cup intact.

It was a finish this game deserved, because for eighty minutes neither side would give the other an inch. Hong Kong China drew first blood in the cruellest way for the Americans, when centre Marcus Ramage charged down a kick from full-back Perry Mayo, collected the loose ball and grounded it. Mayo, to his credit, did not hide. He atoned almost at once, showing impressive strength to touch down from close range after some fine handling from his side, and when Hong Kong winger Harry Sayers was sin-binned for a high tackle, the Eagles struck again — number eight Jamason Fa'anana-Schultz going over from close range in the 19th minute after excellent work from the pack.

But Hong Kong China have made a habit of answering back in this tournament, and they did it in style. Flanker Jack Bartlett collected possession on halfway and, showing outstanding speed and strength, burst clean through the USA defence to cross the line, and at half-time the underdogs led 17-14. It was a lead built on nerve as much as skill: they would finish the match a man down twice over, with captain Joshua Hrstich joining Sayers in the sin-bin soon after the restart for a high challenge on Hilsenbeck.

The second half swung like a pendulum. A 59th-minute penalty try put the Eagles back ahead, only for Dylan McCann to land two penalties — the second in the 65th minute — and suddenly Hong Kong led 26-21 with the finish line in sight. They had pushed one of the form teams in the tournament to the very edge, and for a few minutes it looked as though they might hold on.

Geiger had other ideas. The replacement forward took the ball close to the line and simply refused to be stopped, diving over to level the scores at 26-26 with four minutes remaining, and Hilsenbeck's conversion — struck superbly under the kind of pressure that decides tournaments — won it. "Ultimately it was our resolve that won us the game," USA captain Jason Damm said afterwards. "There was continued belief that we could get the job done."

It was the Eagles' fourth straight win, and it leaves them alongside Georgia as the only teams with a 100 per cent record in this year's tournament, on a weekend when Tonga, Portugal, Spain and Samoa also won. For Hong Kong China, the defeat will sting precisely because they were so close to something special. "There's frustration there because we know we're good enough," Hrstich said. "USA and Georgia are the two form teams in this tournament and we pushed one of them right to the 80th minute. Obviously we're disappointed but I'm really proud of the group and it was a massive step forward for us."