International round-up
Saturday’s 22-21 away win over Chile saw the teams battling through torrential rain in the Chilean capital of Santiago, with the evening’s festivities including a second-half floodlight failure which resulted in a delay to the climax of the game.
Peterson started for the Eagles in the first of the two-leg showdown, with the winner earning safe passage through to next year’s tournament in France.
USA will now aim to protect and build on their lead in Saturday’s return leg, which takes place in Glendale, Colorado at 8pm UK time.
USA head coach, former Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Gary Gold, said: “It was as gritty a performance as one could expect out there.
“The conditions were visibly on another level, but I am unbelievably pleased with the effort our guys put out there. Through the elements and delays we did what we set out to do in Santiago, come away with a win on the road.
“It was a little closer than we would have hoped in the end, with their closing try narrowing the gap, however this squad was resilient in the tough situations and adapted well. At this stage the goal is clear, get a win on home soil.”
Meanwhile, Newcastle Falcons centre Matias Orlando started and played the full 80 minutes for Argentina on Saturday as they fell to a 29-6 home defeat to Scotland in Salta, with new club-mate Matias Moroni coming on for the closing 20 minutes.
The result ties the series at 1-1 going into Saturday’s decider in Santiago del Estero. That game kicks off at 8.10pm UK time and is being shown live on Sky Sports.
Newcastle Falcons wing Mateo Carreras was among the try-scorers for an Argentina XV as they defeated Portugal 48-35 in Lisbon on Saturday. That concludes their two-game programme, having won away to Georgia the previous weekend.