The US Eagles have been playing in the Final Qualification Tournament which will determine whether they can maintain their record of appearing at every Rugby Union World Cup since their only absence in 1995.
To do so, they must accrue the most points out of the four teams competing for the 20th and final spot at the World Cup, with Portugal the only one left standing in their way for the final qualification place as the tournament heads into its last match day.
USA vs. Portugal Rugby World Cup final qualification live stream
You can watch the U.S. vs. Portugal match live and on-demand for free in The Rugby Network player below (sign-up required).
The match can be streamed live and on-demand for free on the player above as well as on TheRugbyNetwork.com (sign-up required).
When will the US Eagles play Portugal in the Qualification Tournament?
- Date: Friday, November 18
- Time: 10:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. local time)
The Final Qualification Tournament has been taking place at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai. It started on November 6 and will conclude on November 18 when USA take on Portugal in the final match to decide which team will advance to the Rugby World Cup.
Standings for the Final Qualification Tournament
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points For | Points Against | +/- | Bonus Points | Total Points |
| Portugal | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 127 | 14 | +113 | 2 | 10 |
| USA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 117 | 21 | +96 | 2 | 10 |
| Hong Kong | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 91 | -70 | 0 | 0 |
| Kenya | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 153 | -139 | 0 | 0 |
Results for the US Eagles in the Qualification Tournament
The U.S. kicked off their tournament with a dominant 68-14 victory over Kenya, during their first ever meeting with the nation. Dylan Fawsitt and Christian Dyer each scored three tries in the rout.
This is just a thing of beauty 🤌@DylanFawsitt pic.twitter.com/cA2MJkbTBj
— USA Rugby (@USARugby) November 6, 2022
In the second week, they then had to keep pace with Portugal who had climbed to the top of the standings with a routine win over the Simbas earlier in the day.
Against a determined Hong Kong side, the US got the job done with an early onslaught establishing a 28-0 lead at half-time. They went on with the job in the second period, with Cam Dolan picking up player of the match honors for his display in the 49-7 victory.
Some of the running rugby from @USARugby these last 2 weeks has been 👌
— The Rugby Network (@therugbynetwork) November 13, 2022
Match highlights and replay now up at The Rugby Network 🙌 #rugby #usarugby pic.twitter.com/AXfohmZvut
This meant that both USA and Portugal had picked up maximum points in their opening two matches which eliminated the possibility of Kenya or Hong Kong qualifying from the group.
- Sunday, November 6: USA 68 - 14 Kenya, 7 a.m. ET (4 p.m. local time)
- Saturday, November 12: USA 49 - 7 Hong Kong, 9:30 a.m. ET (6:30 p.m. local time)
- Friday, November 18: USA v Portugal, 10:30 a.m. ET (7:30 p.m. local time)
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Why are the US Eagles at the Final Qualification Tournament?
After losing on aggregate to Chile in the Americas 2 play-off, the US Eagles must finish on top of the standings in the Final Qualification Tournament to book their ticket to France.
If successful, they will be placed in Group C alongside Australia, Fiji, Georgia and Wales.
“There is only one remaining ticket for the Rugby World Cup 2023, and it will all come down to a fantastic Final Qualification Tournament hosted in Dubai this November,” World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said.
“The four participating teams have proven their worth during a challenging qualifying process that started in March 2021, and they will give their absolute best to join the France 2023 adventure.”
MORE: Three teams face World Cup oblivion in RWC's final qualification stage
Meanwhile, the team's fly-half AJ MacGinty acknowledged the importance of the U.S. reaching the World Cup in France.
“Qualifying means everything, as a young kid playing the game this is what you dream of," he said.
“This opportunity ahead of us is a massive one, I feel privileged to be here and excited to get going. We have had five weeks to get there in camps, so the mood is good."
