Happy Birthday! Gutted for the USA - that was their chance to knock on the door. I think if that had been a home match, they'd have held on with a raucous crowd and lower humidity sapping their energy.
Agreed. But holding France to 12 points, and being within 3 points of them for 60+ minutes is a win, for a Tier 2 team playing a Tier 1. And the US never flagged. They left it all on the field. They earned respect from the Tier 1 teams, and that's a win for us in RWC 2019.
The annoying thing is I'm already hearing people just put it to one side with the excuse "It's France - they'll get rolled by a minnow one week then beat NZ in a final the next". On the one hand, that's true but it's coming from people who didn't watch the game. I want the States to do well, particularly after seeing Canada quite literally move backwards in their ability and structure over the years. It's a real shame. If the USA can improve hopefully Canada will follow suit.