The USA absorbed some of the lessons from their defeat by Ireland but not enough to beat Romania in a keenly contested contest at Lansdowne Road on Saturday night. A destructive preoccupation with trying to bludgeon their way through midfield and in the process ignoring blatant overlaps out wide proved prohibitive.
The Americans appeared to be cruising when leading 17-5 after the interval but one sensed that spurned try-scoring opportunities could come back to haunt them: and they did as a strangely low-key and pedestrian Romanian team discovered a fluency and drive that catapulted them back into the match.
A sustained burst of scoring in which they managed 22 unanswered points between the 41st and 63rd minutes proved decisive, but only just as their opponents finished strongly.
Romania were far more creative behind the scrum and in left wing Gheorghe Solomie and full back Mihai Vioreanu they possessed players of real pace and ability. Solomie grabbed two tries and Vioreanu capped a fine display with a last-minute try-saving tackle on American wing Vaea Anitoni.
Irish coach Warren Gatland will be aware that his side will need to be vigilant behind the scrum when Ireland take on Romania in their final match. The Romanians showed enough flair and grit to suggest that they will be awkward opponents.
The problem for Romania was the performance of their pack, completely outplayed in the first half by a more aggressive and dynamic American eight for whom Rob Lumkong, Luke Gross, Tasi Mo'unga and captain Dan Lyle worked hard. Lyle's departure on 30 minutes with a shoulder injury was a body blow for the Americans: they never really discovered the same purpose and direction in the aftermath.
Instead it was his hulking Romanian counterpart Tudor Constantin who became the more inspirational figure. He elicited a more committed and effective performance from those around him and also provided a central contribution to two second half tries for flanker Alin Petrache. The modus operandi was identical: the ball was thrown to Constantin at the front and smuggled to Petrache who was propelled over the line by his team-mates.
The USA have not won a match in this tournament since the opening game against Japan in the 1987 finals and for the opening 40 minutes they appeared set to rectify that gloomy statistic. A try from Lyle, who barged past four tacklers, and a penalty and conversion from scrum-half Kevin Dalzell gave them a 10-5 interval advantage.
A well worked try from left wing Brian Hightower one minute after the restart, which Dalzell improved upon seemed to set them up for a comfortable victory.
Excellent scrum-half Petre Mitu's boot and tries from Solomie and Petrache (two) transformed the game only for the winners to tempt fate with an insipid performance in the closing stages. Dalzell kicked a penalty and when full-back Kurt Shuman grabbed a well worked try, the scrum-half had a chance to tie the game but his touchline conversion drifted wide of the near upright.
Scoring sequence: 13 mins: Dalzell pen, 03; 16: - Solomie try, 5-3; 24: Lyle try, Dalzell con, 5-10; Second half: 41: Hightower try, Dalzell con, 5-17; 42: Solomie try, Mitu con, 1217; 48: Petrache try, Mitu con, 19-17; 53: Mitu pen, 22-17; 63: Petrache try, 27-17; 66: Dalzell pen, 27-20; 77: Shuman try, 27-25.
USA: K Shuman; V Anitoni, J Grobler, M Scharrenberg, B Hightower; D Niu, K Dalzell; G Sucher, T Billups, R Lehner; L Gross, A Parker; D Lyle (capt), R Lumkong, T Mo'unga. Replacements: S Paga for Lyle (30 mins); R Tardits for Lumkong (53 mins); K Khasigian for Billups (63 mins); D Hodges for Mo'unga (70 mins); T Takau for Scharrenberg (74 mins); J Clayton for Sucher (78 mins).
Romania: M Vioreanu; C Sauan, G Brezoianu, R Gontineac, G Solomie; L Vusec, P Mitu; R Mavrodin, P Balan, C Stan; T Brinza, T Constantin (capt); A Petrache, C Draguceanu, E Septar. Replacements: F Corodeanu for Septar (78 mins); N Dima for Stan (78 mins). Yellow card: P Mitu (Romania).
Referee: J Fleming (Scotland).
