This archive report was first published on 9 October 2019.
Published on October 9, 2019, the US team's World Cup campaign has been marred by defensive issues, with coach Gary Gold acknowledging that they need to improve in this area to stand a chance against Tonga.
Despite a decent start, the US team was disorganized, allowing Argentina to run in seven tries, with more than half of them scored by players who were not tackled.
Gold questioned the accuracy of the official statistics that listed his team as missing 46 tackles, but accepted that it was an issue.
"Yep, we missed some tackles but there's probably a source to that, we were too often out of position and that led to some holes so we will work on that," he said.
Gold also emphasized the importance of looking after the ball better and taking opportunities when they arise, citing the team's strong ends to the first and second halves as a positive aspect of their performance.
The US team will face Tonga on Sunday, with both teams seeking their first World Cup win.
