USA Women's Eagles beat Great Britain 31-7 in Pool C of HSBC SVNS Bordeaux 2026, with Su Adegoke and Erica Coulibaly each scoring two tries at Stade de Bordeaux.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
The USA seized control before the first minute was out. Kristi Kirshe forced a turnover against Great Britain captain Sharnie Li'on at the breakdown, and the ball was shipped wide to Su Adegoke, whose footwork sliced through the GB defence for the opening try. Kayla Canett converted for a 7-0 lead inside 90 seconds.
Adegoke struck again almost immediately. Another Kirshe turnover gave the Eagles prime field position, and Adegoke powered over from close range for her second try — the USA's second in as many minutes — to double the lead. Canett converted once more to make it 14-0.
Great Britain responded through their own strike weapon. Centre Katie Sheliker arced around the defence and found Shona Stephenson in support, who raced in for GB's only try. The conversion cut the deficit to 14-7.
The USA reasserted control just before half-time. Kayla Canett — operating as Kayla Konietzko on the commentary — created space with a stutter step, took a heavy hit and offloaded to Erica Coulibaly, who finished clinically. Tahna Wilfley's conversion made it 19-7 at the break.
The Eagles conceded no points in the second half. Coulibaly crossed for her second try of the match after sustained USA pressure, and Ariana Ramsey added a fifth from the base of a scrum in the closing stages to seal the 31-7 rout.
The Turning Point
The match was effectively decided in the opening two minutes. Adegoke's double strike, both tries sourced from Kirshe's defensive dominance at the breakdown, forced Great Britain onto the back foot before they had meaningful possession. GB never recovered from the 14-0 deficit, and their solitary try through Stephenson was only a brief interruption to USA's momentum.
Key Performers
Su Adegoke — Two first-half tries inside 120 seconds set the tone. Her footwork and power in contact were too much for the GB defence to handle; she finished her first with a step off either foot and her second through sheer leg drive.
Kristi Kirshe (Captain) — The USA captain was the architect of the opening salvo, winning two crucial turnovers against the head at the breakdown. Her physicality in defence — described on commentary as "dominant" — disrupted Great Britain's ability to build phases.
Erica Coulibaly — A brace of tries either side of half-time, finishing with pace and composure. The first came from a clever Canett offload; the second showcased her finishing ability in space.
Ariana Ramsey — Scored the Eagles' fifth try late on and was a constant threat on the edge throughout.
By the Numbers — Interpreted
USA's 31-point haul came from five tries — the mark of a ruthless attacking display. Three conversions (Canett 2, Wilfley 1) were good from five attempts, reflecting an 85-metre approach that prioritised try-line finishes over touchline kicks. The Eagles held Great Britain scoreless for the entire second half, a defensive shutout that continued a theme across the weekend — the USA conceded only 22 points across three pool matches.
Great Britain entered the tournament on a 34-match losing streak in the World Series, and this result extended that run. Their one try — Stephenson's finish from Sheliker's break — was their only visit to the USA 22 that produced points.
What It Means
The victory gave USA a perfect start to Pool C ahead of tougher tests against Spain and Canada. The Eagles went on to win all three pool matches — beating Spain 19-15 and Canada 33-22 — before defeating France 12-0 in the Cup quarter-finals. Australia ended their run in the semi-finals (21-7), and Canada edged the USA 21-19 in the bronze-medal match, leaving the Eagles fourth in Bordeaux.
USA finished the 2025/26 HSBC SVNS World Championship with a 4th-place result in the season finale, having finished 2nd in Valladolid and 5th in Hong Kong across the three-leg championship series. Kaylen Thomas set a new USA single-season try-scoring record (37 tries) over the course of the weekend.
Great Britain finished bottom of Pool C without a win and did not advance to the cup knockout stages.
Verdict
USA did exactly what a side with top-four ambitions should do against a struggling opponent: start fast, finish clinically, concede nothing after the break. Adegoke and Kirshe set a physical tone that Great Britain could not match, and the 31-7 scoreline flattered neither side.
Rivalry since 2021
USA 7s W vs Great Britain 7s W Head to Head Results· 19
USA 7s W and Great Britain 7s W have met 19 times — USA 7s W won 13, Great Britain 7s W won 6, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2021. USA 7s W leads the head-to-head with 13 victories from 19 meetings. A combined 714 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 37.58 per match (403 for the home side, 311 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 19 matches (100%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 19 games (100%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. USA 7s W are currently unbeaten in the last 8 meetings. The highest-scoring encounter finished 49–14 in 2025.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 26 Jun 2026