The United States will play at the 2027 Rugby World Cup after beating Samoa 29-13

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DENVER (AP) — The United States will play at the 2027 Rugby World Cup after beating Samoa 29-13 on Sunday to take fifth place in the Pacific Nations Cup.

Flyhalf Luke Carty came off the bench to score a try and create another for winger Toby Fricker, and captain Jason Damm and hooker Kaleb Geiger scored late tries to clinch the 19th-ranked United States' win over 14th-ranked Samoa.

The United States failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup in France but now is guaranteed to play at the next two world tournaments, in Australia in 2027 and as host in the United States in 2031.

Spots at the Rugby World Cup were available at the Pacific Nations tournament that also included Japan, Fiji, Canad and Tonga. Samoa still has a chance to qualify for the World Cup through a playoff series against Chile.

The United States had a narrow lead at halftime and there were five lead changes in the match before the Eagles closed out the match with three tries in the second half.

“We knew we were going to get it done,” Damm said. “It was only a moment in time but we kept putting in the work, kept believing. To do it here in front of our home crowd, cheering us on the whole game is incredible.”

The key to the United States' win was its kicking game which kept Samoa mostly pinned within its own half and its ability to repeatedly win breakdown turnovers.

Carty took the field as a 14th minute replacement for Chris Hilsenbeck and set up a try for Fricker with a precision long pass in the 22nd minute.

Samoa reclaimed the lead with two penalties to U.S.-based flyhalf Rodney Iona but a Carty penalty gave the Americans a two-point halftime lead.

Carty scored in the 65th after strong lead-up worked by the United States' forwards, then Damm and Geiger sealed the win when they touched down in the 74th and 76th minutes.

“We knew the pieces were going to come together, we knew we just had to become tighter, fighting the storm, head into it and sometimes become the storm and you saw that today,” Damm said.

Canada will play Fiji and Japan will play Tonga in semifinals of the Pacific Nations Cup later Sunday. All four of those nations already have secured World Cup qualification.

Samoa now will attempt to join Fiji and Tonga as qualifiers from Oceania.

“I don't have words right now to describe the feeling. We're extremely disappointed,” Samoa captain Michael Alaalatoa said. “Fair play to the USA, they played very well in the second half.”

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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby