USA Names Roster for Pan Am Games

USA Sevens Head Coach Mike Friday has named his roster to compete at the 2015 Pan Am Games to be held in Toronto. After not being named in the initial training camp squad due to school commitments, Madison Hughes was named to the Pan Am squad and will continue his Captaincy of the team. The appointment of one of the USA’s key playmakers will certainly help as the Eagles look to improve upon their Bronze medal in the 2011 Pan Am Games.

The Eagles are pooled with Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay in Pool A while Canada and Argentina await in Pool B as the obvious roadblocks for the USA. After pool play, the eight teams in the competition will be seeded based on their pool results.

While a handful of USA 7s players are in the pre-Rugby World Camp with the Eagles 15s, the USA return a number of key performers from their all-time best World Series season. Hughes, Perry Baker, Carlin Isles, and Garrett Bender all played large roles for the USA this season while Martin Iosefo continually earned more minutes on the field. Even the non-regulars in the roster have experience at the international level. They’ll be expected to not only provide depth, but a few are going to be looked upon to provide valuable minutes for the USA.

Brett Thompson should be one of the players that is most needed to step up at the Pan Am Games.  He’s been in residency since returning from a stint at Edinburgh and been on the fringe of the Eagles 7s side. With both Danny Barrett and Zach Test away with the 15s team, Thompson will need to fill in their shoes.

“It is not the special things I am looking for,” Friday said in a release from USA Rugby. “It is the ability to fit on the team and contribute accurately to ensure, as a team, we perform to the standards that we expect of whoever takes the field to represent the program. This is a great opportunity for the 12 chosen to make that point.”

While the tournament can be looked upon as an extension of the 2014/2015 season, the Pan Am Games are just as much of a precursor to the 2015/2016 season and ultimately the lead up to the 2016 Olympics.

“We set our expectations high as a group and we are going to the Games with the intention of competing to try and win the gold medal, and the 12 that are selected take on that responsibility and challenge when the accept the place whether this is your first appearance this season or you have played every leg of the Series. These are the characteristics and behaviors that are non-negotiable to be a part of the squad.”

Men’s Eagles Sevens

Toronto 2015 Pan American Games

1. Carlin Isles
2. Patrick Blair
3. Brett Thompson
4. Garrett Bender
5. Mike Te’o
6. Stephen Tomasin
7. Will Holder
8. Ben Leatigaga
9. Nate Augspurger
10. Madison Hughes (C)
11. Perry Baker
12. Martin Iosefo