After losing to Argentina and then beating Brazil on Day 1, the USA team knew if it beat, drew or lost to Fiji by three or fewer points then it would be in the quarterfinals at the expense of New Zealand. The U.S. was awarded a penalty try when an Argentinian defender used a high tackle to stop Zack Test from touching the ball down, and then Danny Barrett scored the first try in U.S. Olympic men’s rugby sevens history. A sixth-round draft pick in 2011 out of Ohio State, where he played football and rugby, Ebner received permission from the Patriots to train with the U.S. Olympic team earlier this year.
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RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) Nate Ebner couldn’t really have set up more of a dramatic finish for the US team at the Olympics. Rugby hasn’t been an Olympic sport in 92 years, when teams had 15 players on the field at once.
Ebner saw action in four of the Americans’ five matches, starting three.
Ebner walked onto the Buckeyes football team at Ohio State in his junior year in college after a successful collegiate and worldwide rugby career.
“They invaded the contact area, and if they picked up the rules, I’m sure they’d be great – just like some of those American football boys, if they grew up with rugby, I’m sure they’d be great too”.
“We got here and tried to give this everything that we have”.
The U.S. team was a surprising 5-1 at the Olympics entering one more fight late Wednesday night.
Nate Ebner, who helped the New England Patriots win Super Bowl XLIX, is a member of the USA Rugby team.
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