US Rugby team, featuring player from Utah, knocked out in Olympic quarterfinals

Paris Paralympic countdown clock on the bank of the River Siene, and in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, counted down to zero as the Games come to an end. Photo: Augie Roepke

The second Olympic journey of the "pride of Provo High School," Maka Unufe, comes to an end

PARIS, France — Maka Unufe’s 2024 Olympic experience somewhat ended before it began, as the Opening Ceremony was still 18 hours away when his Rugby Sevens U.S. Team was eliminated from the tournament. Sports like soccer and rugby always start before the Opening Ceremony at the Olympics to efficiently get to the knock-out rounds. 

Unufe, the 32-year-old Olympian of the Rio 2016 Games—and the pride of Provo High School—is considered the “veteran” of the squad among his teammates.

With a 12-12 tie with Team France, then a 38-12 loss to Team Fiji, Team Uruguay was next up for Unufre in pool play. The USA Eagles beat Uruguay and advanced out of the Paris Olympic tournament with six pool points and a record of 1-1-1. Also moving out of the Group C pool was France and Fiji, as Uruguay was eliminated.

Thrilling quarterfinals had second-ranked New Zealand eliminated by seventh-ranked South Africa with a goalline defensive play for the ages. Then, France eliminated Argentina in the quarters 26 to 14, with the final five points coming for the home nation after the regulation time clock ticked down. Regulation play cannot end on a penalty; thus, the game clock sometimes starts to click back up after it hits zero.

Fiji then beat Ireland 19 to 15 in the quarters 03:13 into added time. It was Fiji’s 16th straight game victory in Olympic Rugby Sevens; they’re double gold medalists in the Olympics.

Australia vs USA was up next as the final slot in the quarterfinal brackets. USA has never Olympic-medalled in Rugby Sevens, although they have in Rugby 15 per side.

Unufre was not in the starting lineup against the Aussie men in this quarterfinal, but he subbed in later. With 02:40 left to go in the first half, Australia’s James Turner put five points on the board, but they couldn’t convert their extra kick. So, it was 5-0 Aussies.

With 25 seconds left in the first half, USA got a good penalty on their side. Time clicked up as Austrailian Cory Toole scored, making the Aussie lead 10-0. They again missed the conversion kick, and the halftime score stood at Australia’s ten to USA’s zero, as the clock stopped at 01:15 on the plus side.

Toole’s boot hit the white sideline, and another almost-score by him early in the second was watched by the French, South African, and Great British referee team and determined not to be a score.  

With ten seconds left in the game, Indigenous Australian Morris Longbottom got to kick the ball over the goalposts from 19 meters away in the center field, making it 13-nil Australia. 

Unufre attempted to help with a grab of the ball in the final seconds; however, it was too little too late, and at 45 seconds in the plus time, the United States was eliminated from the Paris 2024 Rugby Sevens tournament. 

Australia continues its domination, and as the NBC American female commentator of all the men’s games, Abby Gustaitis, said, “The U.S. was outplayed by the Aussies.” Adding, “It’s devastation for the United States.”

As the USA Eagles are knocked out of the medal contention in Paris, the Aussies advance to play Fiji in the semifinals. 

Unufre is merely one Utahn to watch in the Summer Olympics in Paris.