This coming weekend the USA Eagles launch their Americas Rugby Championship campaign in Houston against Argentina. The new competition is just the start of the next World Cup cycle and what is expected to be a season of change for the Eagles.
First on the list is the debut of new head coach John Mitchell. Having just set foot in America, Mitchell is now tasked with bringing along a USA side that has been burdened with the ‘potential’ mantle for some time. Mitchell named a side mixed with veterans that are only available for a few tests and up and coming Eagles. Even with some youth and inexperience in the squad, Mitchell’s charges will be expected to produce results against the likes of Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay.
2015 FORM
The Eagles are coming off five straight test match losses and six total if you count their pre-World Cup friendly loss to Harlequins. Before the skid it was a solid start to the year, going 2-2 in the Pacific Nations Cup with wins over Japan and Canada. Another victory over Canada – their third in a row – in Ottawa followed the PNC and gave them some momentum heading into their final preparations.
After the disappointing loss to Harlequins, the USA fell to Australia in at Soldier Field in Chicago. The match against the Wallabies was a sign of things to come as the USA battled hard in the first half, but fell apart in the second.
The World Cup opened with a loss to Samoa in what was their best chance at victory. They followed with an incomplete performance against Scotland and then were blasted by South Africa. The Eagles finished their campaign with a lackluster loss to Japan, finishing the year with a 3-7 record in tests.
POST-RWC 2015
In the wake of the disappointing World Cup results, USA Rugby sought to make changes. They started with opening up the search for a new head coach which ultimately ended up with the hiring of Mitchell. Next was a near cleaning of house of the support staff for the Eagles, with three former professional players adding their expertise and subsequently naming of a surprisingly solid roster for the ARC.
The biggest news was the return of former skipper Todd Clever to the squad after he was sacked by now-departed Mike Tolkin prior to the PNC. In one door came Clever, and out the other goes Chris Wyles, who has called it a day at test level and is joined by a handful of other regulars, including flanker Scott LaValla and scrumhalf Mike Petri. Others have seemingly been discarded and all of a sudden there is a very different feel to the team.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
There’s no question who the stars in the side are, but the professionals who are available will only be around for a game or two. After that, it’s up to some new names to make things happen.
Hefty prop Joe Taufete’e was a shock inclusion in the World Cup squad but showed that he is surprisingly light on his feet for such a large body. He should get a chance to start at tighthead at some point and possibly throw his name into the mix for a regular role in the team. His new Belmont Shore teammate Mike Sosene-Feagai (real first name Michelangelo) is a former Samoa u20 cap who is set to compete with USA u20 standout Cameron Falcon for the vacant hooker role.
The second-most colorfully named character in the team is athletic loose forward Aladdin Schirmer. Born in Seattle to American Samoan parents, the Central Washington standout is already on the watch list of Eagles 7s coach Mike Friday as someone with big potential. Possibly even more hyped is 19-year-old flanker Hanco Germishuys, a South African-born dynamo who has just returned from a season with Gloucester Academy.
Everybody knows Mike Te’o has talent, the question is where does he fit in the team? He’s moved from hooker to scrumhalf to centre and is also a versatile sevens player. He’s joined by former u20 teammate Kingsley McGowan, a wing with searing pace who has lately found himself playing in the midfield and even flyhalf for Trinity College in Dublin.
VERDICT
The Eagles come in ranked as the second seed in the tournament but with a few big guns and a home match to start against Argentina, they could very conceivably kick things off with an upset win. That said they could just as easily fall to Uruguay in Montevideo with a significantly less experienced traveling team. A full-on battle against Canada in Austin will likely be the match that determines whether or not the tournament is a success.
FIXTURES
Feb 6 | vs Argentina | Houston | 20:00 EST, 19:00 CST |
Feb 13 | vs Canada | Austin | 19:00 EST, 18:00 CST |
Feb 20 | vs Chile | Fort Lauderdale | 18:00 EST, 20:00 Chile |
Feb 27 | vs Brazil | São Paulo | 12:00 EST, 14:00 Brasilia |
Mar 5 | vs Uruguay | Montevideo | 16:00 EST, 18:00 UYT |
SQUAD
NAME | POS | HGT | WGT | DOB | CAPS | CLUB |
Baumann, Chris | PR | 1.88 6-2 |
122 270 |
May 18 1987 |
7 | Austin Blacks |
Beach, Demecus | PR | 1.89 6-2 |
120 265 |
Dec 28 1987 |
0 | Life University |
Fry, Eric | PR | 1.93 6-4 |
119 260 |
Sep 14 1987 |
36 | Newcastle Falcons (UK) |
Kilifi, Olive | PR | 1.80 5-11 |
124 275 |
Sep 18 1986 |
15 | Seattle Saracens |
Taufete’e, Joseph | PR/HO | 1.84 6-0 |
128 280 |
Apr 10 1992 |
1 | Belmont Shore |
Falcon, Cameron | HO | 1.82 6-0 |
107 235 |
Aug 18 1993 |
0 | New Orleans |
Hilterbrand, James | HO | 1.84 6-0 |
112 245 |
May 21 1989 |
0 | North Harbour Rays (AU) |
Sosene-Feagai, Mike | HO | 1.85 6-1 |
105 230 |
Apr 17 1993 |
0 | Belmont Shore |
Brakeley, Nate | LO/FL | 1.96 6-5 |
110 240 |
Aug 31 1989 |
0 | N.Y.A.C. |
King, James | LO | 2.00 6-7 |
111 245 |
Mar 16 1987 |
0 | Yakult Levins (JP) |
Landry, Ben | LO | 1.98 6-6 |
123 270 |
Mar 26 1991 |
0 | Seattle Saracens |
Orth, Brodie | LO | 2.01 6-7 |
118 260 |
1982 | 0 | Kansas City Blues |
Peterson, Greg | LO | 2.04 6-8 |
123 270 |
Mar 26 1991 |
11 | Glasgow Warriors (UK) |
Blair, Pat | FL | 1.87 6-2 |
102 225 |
Jan 27 1990 |
0 | Seattle Saracens |
Clever, Todd | FL | 1.93 6-4 |
103 225 |
Jan 16 1983 |
63 | Newcastle Falcons (UK) |
Davis, Aaron | FL | 1.90 6-3 |
112 245 |
Jun 20 1989 |
0 | Belmont Shore |
Dolan, Cam | FL/N8 | 1.98 6-6 |
113 250 |
Mar 7 1990 |
20 | Cardiff Blues (UK) |
Germishuys, Hanco | FL | 1.86 6-1 |
102 225 |
Aug 24 1996 |
0 | Glendale Raptors |
Gletzer, Alec | FL | 1.85 6-1 |
103 225 |
Oct 10 1991 |
0 | Olympic |
Schirmer, Aladdin | N8/FL | 1.90 6-3 |
102 225 |
Dec 13 1992 |
0 | Central Washington |
Tameilau, David | N8 | 1.95 6-5 |
123 270 |
Jan 22 1990 |
0 | Life West |
Bliss, Tom | SH | 1.79 5-10 |
90 200 |
Mar 12 1993 |
0 | Ealing Trailfinders (UK) |
Kruger, Niku | SH | 1.72 5-8 |
80 175 |
Oct 9 1991 |
2 | Glendale Raptors |
Te’o, Mike | SH/FB | 1.72 5-8 |
93 205 |
Jul 23 1993 |
0 | Belmont Shore |
Bird, James | FH | 1.78 5-10 |
93 205 |
Jan 14 1989 |
0 | Old Blue |
Eloff, J.P. | FH | 1.78 5-10 |
84 185 |
May 28 1991 |
0 | Chicago Lions |
Filikitonga, Lemoto | CE | 1.85 6-1 |
111 245 |
May 25 1993 |
0 | Metropolis |
Garrity, Mike | CE | 1.88 6-2 |
102 225 |
Jan 11 1989 |
0 | Seattle Saracens |
London, Chad | CE | 1.85 6-1 |
101 220 |
Sep 27 1988 |
1 | Glendale Raptors |
Matyas, Ryan | CE/WI | 1.83 6-0 |
86 190 |
Dec 24 1990 |
0 | Old Blue |
Suniula, Andrew | CE | 1.86 6-1 |
108 240 |
May 1 1982 |
38 | CSM Bucuresti (RO) |
Thomas, Lorenzo | CE | 1.90 6-3 |
106 235 |
Jan 22 1997 |
0 | Lindenwood |
Edwards, Nick | WI | 1.87 6-2 |
98 215 |
Feb 24 1984 |
0 | N.Y.A.C. |
Hume, Luke | WI | 1.75 5-9 |
87 190 |
Feb 1 1988 |
17 | Old Blue |
McGowan, Kingsley | WI | 1.76 5-9 |
88 195 |
Dec 18 1992 |
0 | Trinity College (IR) |
Deion Mikesell | WI | 1.83 6-0 |
100 220 |
1997 | 0 | Lindenwood |
Ngwenya, Takudzwa | WI | 1.78 5-10 |
86 190 |
Jul 22 1985 |
35 | Biarritz (FR) |
Stanfill, Tim | WI | 1.78 5-10 |
85 185 |
Apr 7 1989 |
4 | Seattle Saracens |
Anderson, Jake | FB | 1.88 6-2 |
95 210 |
Jan 22 1992 |
0 | Olympic |
Scully, Blaine | FB | 1.90 6-3 |
100 220 |
Feb 29 1988 |
29 | Cardiff Blues (UK) |