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The US Eagles and Argentina XV teams have been named for Saturday’s opening Americas Rugby Championship match at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas. Blaine Scully and Rodrigo Báez have been named respective captains of two inexperienced sides. The match will also be the first with new Eagles head coach John Mitchell in charge, while Pablo Bouza heads up the Argentina selection for the duration of the tournament.
“It has been a good week, said Bouza. “We have trained hard with a very well rounded team, featuring players from a variety of different Argentine selections that are very well prepared. It makes my task easier.
“Regarding the USA, we can identify a solid and experienced pack with a lot of World Cup experience and they want to make the most of this opportunity.”
Captain Báez mirrored the comments of his coach.
“The USA will be a very tough team and difficult to beat. They have a roster with many players who went to the World Cup and others that have come from Europe. We are going to be up against a strong team.”
Báez will be the leader of a very young pack with only one other player – Roberto Tejerizo – over the age of 22. Towering second row duo Marcos Kremer and Ignacio Larrague are only 18 and 20, respectively, while former u20 captain Santiago Iglesias Valdez is considered a senior player with only 11 caps.
The backs feature two members of the Super Rugby side, wing Matías Orlando and fullback Ramiro Moyano. Another teenager plays at flyhalf – 19 year old Domingo Miotti – but he will have two centres with previous ARC experience in Joaquín Paz and Juan Cappiello beside him.
Mitchell’s new-look Eagles have a big pack with a couple surprises. Joe Taufete’e lines up at hooker instead of prop, and heavily-built David Tameilau will start at no8 rather than his usual lock position. Cam Dolan and recalled Todd Clever are a formidable flank duo, with two extra-large bodies in Greg Peterson and Brodie Orth in the second row.
James Bird of Old Blue will get the first shot at the flyhalf position in the absence of A.J. MacGinty, while exciting speedster Kingsley McGowan makes a long-awaited first senior appearance after returning from a stint in Ireland. There is no shortage of pace on the other wing, with Taku Ngwenya wearing his preferred no14 jersey while on temporary leave from Biarritz.
The game kicks off at 7pm CST, 8pm EST, and will be broadcast live on ESPN3.
USA
1 Eric Fry 2 Joseph Taufete’e 3 Chris Baumann 4 Brodie Orth 5 Greg Peterson 6 Cam Dolan 7 Todd Clever 8 David Tameilau 9 Niku Kruger 10 James Bird 11 Kingsley McGowan 12 Lemoto Filikitonga 13 Chad London 14 Takudzwa Ngwenya 15 Blaine Scully (capt.)
16 Mike Sosene-Feagai 17 Olive Kilifi 18 James Hilterbrand 19 Ben Landry 20 Alec Gletzer 21 JP Eloff 22 Mike Te’o 23 Jake Anderson
ARGENTINA XV
1 Roberto Tejerizo 2 Santiago Iglesias Valdez 3 Felipe Arregui 4 Marcos Kremer 5 Ignacio Larrague 6 Rodrigo Báez (capt.) 7 Lautaro Bavaro 8 Santiago Montagner 9 Gonzalo Bertranou 10 Domingo Miotti 11 Tomás Carrió 12 Joaquín Paz 13 Juan Cappiello 14 Matías Orlando 15 Ramiro Moyano
16 Franco Brarda 17 Gaspar Baldunciel 18 Cristian Bartoloni 19 Pedro Ortega 20 José Deheza 21 Lautaro Bazán 22 Juan Leon Novillo 23 Juan Pablo Estellés
Referee: Chris Assmus (RC)
Assistants: Kurt Weaver (USAR) & Phil Akroyd (USAR)
