2017–18 United States national rugby sevens team season
# 2017–18 United States national rugby sevens team season

The 2017–18 United States national rugby sevens team season included both the 2017–18 World Rugby Sevens Series and the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens. The season began badly. In the first tournament of the 2017–18 World Rugby Sevens Series in Dubai, 2017 World Rugby Player of the Year Perry Baker suffered a concussion, and the United States team limped to a last place finish. The U.S. improved from that point on, reaching the semifinals of the Australia Sevens. The team then won the 2018 USA Sevens, the first time the U.S. won their home tournament, boosted in large part by Perry Baker, who led all scorers with 8 tries. Baker, along with forwards Ben Pinkelman and Danny Barrett all made the tournament Dream Team. Overall the team displayed inconsistent performances, reaching the Cup semifinals three times, but also failing to qualify for the cup quarterfinals three times. Despite the inconsistent play, the U.S. finished sixth overall.

## 2017–18 World Sevens Series

### Player statistics

The following table shows the leading players for the U.S. after the 2017–18 Sevens Series season. Among all World Series, players, Isles ranked first in tries scored with 49, and Baker ranked fifth with 37. Ben Pinkelman ranked fourth in tackles with 124 and fourth in matches played with 58.

Source: World Rugby website.

### 2018 USA Sevens

The United States won the tournament by beating Argentina 28–0 in the final. This was the first time that the United States won its home tournament. USA's Perry Baker led the tournament with 8 tries and 11 breaks. Baker, Pinkelman, and Barrett were all named to the seven-man tournament Dream Team.

2018 USA Sevens final: U.S. starting lineup :

| Player | Position |
| - | - |
| Danny Barrett | Forward |
| Ben Pinkelman | Forward |
| Matai Leuta | Forward |
| Folau Niua | Scrum-half |
| Kevon Williams | Fly-half |
| Martin Iosefo | Center |
| Perry Baker | Wing |

* Substitutes: Carlin Isles, Malon Aljiboori
* Unavailable due to injury: Madison Hughes, Stephen Tomasin, Maka Unufe

With the U.S. finishing out the game with a lineup that included Isles (wing), Baker (center), Williams (fly-half) and Aljiboori (forward), it is believed that this is the first time the U.S. has fielded a team where the majority of players are African-American.

## 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens

| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | 5th Place Final | 5th Place Final |
| - | - | - | - |
| 22 July 2018 – 11:56 – AT&T Park | 22 July 2018 – 11:56 – AT&T Park |
| Scotland | 0 |
| Scotland | 0 | 22 July 2018 – 17:02 – AT&T Park | 22 July 2018 – 17:02 – AT&T Park |
| United States | 28 | 22 July 2018 – 17:02 – AT&T Park | 22 July 2018 – 17:02 – AT&T Park |
| United States | 28 | United States | 7 |
| 22 July 2018 – 12:18 – AT&T Park | 22 July 2018 – 12:18 – AT&T Park | | United States | 7 |
| 22 July 2018 – 12:18 – AT&T Park | 22 July 2018 – 12:18 – AT&T Park | Argentina | 33 |
| Argentina | 26 | Argentina | 33 |
| France | 15 | | |
| France | 15 | 7th Place | 7th Place |
| | | 22 July 2018 – 16:40 – AT&T Park | 22 July 2018 – 16:40 – AT&T Park |
| | | Scotland | 29 (a.e.t) |
| | | France | 24 |

Round of 16

Quarterfinals

5th place semi-finals

5th place final

| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Union / Club |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | BK | Carlin Isles | (1989-11-29)November 29, 1989 (aged 28) | Unattached |
| 2 | FW | Ben Pinkelman | (1994-06-13)June 13, 1994 (aged 24) | Denver Barbarians |
| 3 | FW | Danny Barrett | (1990-03-23)March 23, 1990 (aged 28) | Unattached |
| 4 | FW | Matai Leuta | (1990-07-20)July 20, 1990 (aged 28) | Unattached |
| 5 | FW | Brett Thompson | (1990-08-17)August 17, 1990 (aged 27) | Unattached |
| 6 | BK | Kevon Williams | (1991-06-07)June 7, 1991 (aged 27) | Denver Barbarians |
| 7 | BK | Folau Niua | (1985-01-27)January 27, 1985 (aged 33) | Unattached |
| 8 | BK | Maka Unufe | (1991-09-28)September 28, 1991 (aged 26) | Unattached |
| 9 | FW | Stephen Tomasin | (1994-09-25)September 25, 1994 (aged 23) | Unattached |
| 10 | BK | Madison Hughes (c) | (1992-10-26)October 26, 1992 (aged 25) | Unattached |
| 11 | BK | Perry Baker | (1986-06-29)June 29, 1986 (aged 32) | Unattached |
| 12 | BK | Martin Iosefo | (1990-01-13)January 13, 1990 (aged 28) | Unattached |
| | BK | Chris Mattina | (1993-03-31)March 31, 1993 (aged 25) | New York Athletic Club |
| | FW | Pat Blair | (1990-01-27)January 27, 1990 (aged 28) | Unattached |

Head coach: Mike Friday

