The message was clear from USA Men's 15s captain Blaine Scully a day after the USA beat Scotland: Now, we have to finish strong.

It's as simple as that. Winning the Americas Rugby Championship for the second time in a row was good for the USA's confidence earlier this year. 

Doing that with a perfect 5-0 record was even better. Following that up with victories over Russia and, famously, Scotland, was another jolt (a good one). But Scully has identified the need to tie everything up in a pretty bow. Losing to Canada this Saturday in Halifax, Nova Scotia, would not be how the Eagles want to end the first half of 2018.

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To do that, the USA has to play smart and physical and it has to be under control. 

You need leaders, said Miss Pass co-host Adam Armstrong, who added that losing to Canada would undercut the value of the Eagles' 30-29 victory over Scotland. If anyone was skeptical about the value of that achievement because the Scots had left some top players at home, that skepticism would explode if the USA did poorly against Canada, so there's still some pressure.  

"It's a massive accomplishment for us," said USA scrumhalf/wing Nate Augspurger after the Scotland game. "But it's just a sign of the direction where we’re all going. It was a special night, but we have to keep going."

Blessed Wit Anotha Opportunity 2Rep My Country & Family ?@usarugby #USA #TOKOhood
M’s Up pic.twitter.com/xwSVWWoQJl

— SAMU MANOA (@Blockmonstahz) June 16, 2018

This all comes down to maturity, and the Eagles showed that attribute by going for goal on penalties even when they were behind. And they showed it by taking what Scotland was giving them, not more.

"We knew that nothing gets through us," center Bryce Campbell said. "If they were going to score it would be out wide. Our mindset was, everything you’ve got. If you get gain line in defense, it’s hard [for them] to get go-forward in attack. Our big thing was getting double tackles and making sure they were going backwards."

And on offense, said Campbell, "the ball was like a bar of soap and you just had to go back to basics. A lot less move it out wide and more 'carry it hard and make gain line and take care of the ball.'"

All of that speaks to the idea that this USA team doesn't make it up as it goes along— that it reads the situation and applies what it's learned.

Personally, there is no greater honor than the opportunity to represent the United States... To see the flag wave and hear the anthem before a match is a rare and powerful moment. Proud and grateful American. #flagday #usa?? pic.twitter.com/04wWtMFG5W

— Blaine Scully (@BlaineScully1) June 14, 2018

As head coach Gary Gold said to his team afterward: "Maybe, now you can start to believe me." And what he meant by that was that he feels his Eagles squad can be really, really good. But it has to put in the effort, and it has to put in the thought.

Notes: The USA has won six test matches and seven games (including against Argentina XV) in a row, which is a record for the Eagles. In its last 11 games, the team is 9-1-1 and that one loss was by a single point.

The USA has scored at least one try in 25 straight test matches and 28 straight games (including against Argentina XV).