Eagles Update Elite Squads

Hurricanes flanker Tony Lamborn is one of seven new additions to the revised Eagles Elite Training Squad (EETS) announced by Head Coach John Mitchell and Director of Performance Alex Magleby on Tuesday. After being identified as US-eligible earlier this year, the New Zealand native made an immediate impact, winning his debut against Italy and earning his first test start against Russia.

Also included is rising Sacramento no8 Langi Haupeakui and uncapped Newcastle Falcons second row Nick Civetta. Three others have emerged from the PRO Rugby ranks in scrumhalves Shaun Davies and Chris Saint, and utility back Ahmad Harajly. Former test winger Kevin Swiryn is back in the picture having revived his career with the Eagles 7s program under Mike Friday.

Indeed nearly all athletes in the Eagles system look to be considered for both 7s and XVs. Nate Augspurger, Stephen Tomasin, Shalom Suniula, Thretton Palamo, and Will Holder all jumped straights from the HSBC Sevens Series to test caps in June, while others like Pat Blair and Aladdin Schirmer preceded in the Americas Rugby Championship. There are two exceptions in wingers Carlin Isles and Perry Baker – presumably meaning they will be considered as specialist 7s players only.

Schirmer and Tom Bliss have been switched from the EETS to the Elite Development Training Group (EDTG), while there are a half-dozen senior players left out completely. ARC standout David Tameilau is the biggest casualty, with conditioning and form seeing him lose his no8 spot both at San Francisco and in the test squad despite signing for Newcastle for the new Aviva Premiership season. Less surprising is the absence of fringe players Tom Coolican, Bruce Thomas, and Pila Huihui.

Veterans Brodie Orth and Andrew Suniula have been left out after falling short on form and fitness in PRO, and three others have been dropped from the EDTG. Jope Motokana, Kalei Konrad, and Jake Anderson struggled to make the starting rosters of their respective teams and all have been deemed surplus to requirements. Ben Landry keeps his spot despite missing out on the June test series and the entirety of the PRO season in an attempt to make the Seattle Seahawks NFL squad, a suggestion that he could be back in frame for the November internationals.

An expanded EDTG shows 11 new players. Peter Malcolm and Sione Tu’ihalamaka have been added on the back of solid PRO seasons, while Pat Blair is in after featuring in both the ARC and HSBC Sevens sides. Junior All-American flanker Malon Al-Jiboori joins Lindenwood teammates Lorenzo Thomas and Deion Mikesell on the promising list, and former All-American Conor Kearns is included after impressing as a fullback with Trinity College in Dublin.

Schirmer, Al-Jiboori, Kearns, and Mikesell are among 10 EDTG players who will travel with the Collegiate All-Americans to Australia later this week. Dylan Audsley welcomes St. Mary’s teammate Dino Waldren to the group, and another promising front rower in Life’s Alex Maughan, a former hooker who is now excelling at tighthead prop.

UCal Golden Bears scrumhalf Nick Boyer is added and there are two new wingers in Tua Laei of BYU and another Life representative, Cody Melphy. South African-born midfielder Calvin Whiting is called in for closer inspection having previously captained the Junior All-Americans. Central Washington’s Tanner Barnes was selected for the tour but will miss out with injury.

Both the EETS and EDTG will next be revised in January of 2017.

 

EAGLES ELITE TRAINING SQUAD

NAME	POS	HGT	WGT	DOB	CAPS	CLUB
Baumann, Chris	PR	1.88 6-2	122 270	May 18 1987	11	Denver Stampede
Fry, Eric	PR	1.93 6-4	119 260	Sep 14 1987	40	Sacramento Express
Kilifi, Olive	PR	1.80 5-11	124 275	Sep 28 1986	19	Sacramento Express
Lamositele, Titi	PR	1.80 5-11	127 280	Feb 11 1995	19	Saracens (UK)
MacLellan, Angus	PR	1.85 6-1	116 255	Aug 24 1992	2	Ohio Aviators
Tarr, Ben	PR	1.80 5-11	113 250	Mar 17 1994	4	Denver Stampede
Hilterbrand, James	HO	1.84 6-0	112 245	May 21 1989	3	Waratahs (AU)
Taufete’e, Joe	HO	1.84 6-0	123 270	Apr 10 1992	7	San Diego Breakers
Brakeley, Nate	LO/FL	1.96 6-5	110 240	Aug 31 1989	5	N.Y.A.C.
Civetta, Nick	LO	2.03 6-8	121 265	Nov 5 1989	–	Newcastle Falcons (UK)
King, James	LO	2.00 6-7	111 245	Mar 16 1987	2	Moorabbin Rams (AU)
Landry, Ben	LO	1.98 6-6	123 270	Mar 26 1991	4	Seattle Saracens
Manoa, Samu	LO	1.98 6-6	122 270	Mar 15 1985	15	Toulon (FR)
Peterson, Greg	LO	2.04 6-8	125 275	Mar 26 1991	12	Glasgow Warriors (UK)
Bender, Garrett	FL	1.94 6-4	102 225	Dec 2 1991	–	O.M.B.A.C.
Clever, Todd	FL	1.93 6-4	103 225	Jan 16 1983	68	Unattached
Durutalo, Andrew	FL	1.86 6-1	110 240	Oct 25 1987	13	Sunwolves (JP)
Higgins, Harry	FL/N8	1.93 6-4	105 230	Oct 8 1991	1	Old Blue
McFarland, Al	FL	1.93 6-4	109 240	Jun 2 1989	9	N.Y.A.C.
Pinkelman, Ben	FL	1.93 6-4	98 215	Jun 13 1994	–	Denver Barbarians
Barrett, Danny	N8/FL	1.91 6-3	105 230	Mar 23 1990	13	S.F.G.G.
Dolan, Cam	N8/LO	1.98 6-6	114 250	Mar 7 1990	22	Cardiff Blues (UK)
Haupeakui, Langi	N8	1.86 6-1	118 260	Jul 3 1989	1	Sacramento Express
Augspurger, Nate	SH	1.72 5-8	75 165	Jan 31 1990	2	Old Blue
Davies, Shaun	SH	1.72 5-8	85 185	Jun 20 1989	1	Ohio Aviators
Hughes, Madison	SH	1.75 5-9	80 175	Oct 26 1992	–	Dartmouth
Saint, Chris	SH	1.73 5-8	83 180	Jul 18 1989	–	Sacramento Express
Tomasin, Stephen	SH	1.78 5-10	90 200	Sep 15 1994	1	O.M.B.A.C.
Bird, James	FH	1.78 5-10	93 205	Jan 14 1989	3	Old Blue
Eloff, J.P.	FH/CE	1.78 5-10	84 185	May 28 1991	4	Ohio Aviators
MacGinty, A.J.	FH	1.85 6-1	91 200	Feb 26 1990	8	Sale Sharks (UK)
Suniula, Shalom	FH/CE	1.72 5-8	86 190	May 6 1988	18	Seattle Saracens
Filikitonga, Lemoto	CE	1.85 6-1	111 245	May 25 1993	1	Metropolis
Harajly, Ahmad	CE/FB	1.93 6-4	102 225	Jan 20 1994	–	Ohio Aviators
Iosefo, Martin	CE	1.85 6-1	98 215	Jan 13 1990	–	Montana
London, Chad	CE	1.85 6-1	101 220	Sep 27 1988	6	Denver Stampede
Palamo, Thretton	CE	1.91 6-3	115 255	Sep 22 1988	15	Bristol (UK)
Unufe, Maka	CE/WI	1.87 6-2	92 200	Sep 18 1991	–	Provo Steelers
Hume, Luke	WI	1.75 5-9	87 190	Feb 1 1988	20	Old Blue
Leuta, Mataiyasi	WI/CE	1.91 6-3	107 235	Jul 20 1990	–	Cal State
Ngwenya, Takudzwa	WI	1.78 5-10	86 190	Jul 22 1985	36	San Diego Breakers
Swiryn, Kevin	WI	1.85 6-1	97 215	Dec 16 1984	13	Seattle Saracens
Test, Zack	WI	1.91 6-3	93 205	Oct 13 1989	6	Unattached
Thompson, Brett	WI	1.93 6-4	100 220	Aug 17 1990	6	Tempe
Holder, Will	FB	1.88 6-2	95 210	Mar 19 1991	5	O.M.B.A.C.
Scully, Blaine	FB/WI	1.90 6-3	100 220	Feb 29 1988	29	Cardiff Blues (UK)
Te’o, Mike	FB	1.72 5-8	93 205	Jul 23 1993	6	San Diego Breakers
Tiberio, Peter	FB/CE	1.80 5-11	85 185	Apr 26 1989	–	Seattle Saracens

 

EAGLES DEVELOPMENT TRAINING GROUP

NAME	POS	HGT	WGT	DOB	CAPS	CLUB
Beach, Demecus	PR	1.89 6-2	120 265	Dec 28 1987	2	Ohio Aviators
Maughan, Alex	PR/HO	1.78 5-10	107 235	1995	–	Life
Waldren, Dino	PR	1.82 6-0	113 250	1992	–	St. Mary’s
Malcolm, Peter	HO	1.85 6-1	106 235	Mar 4 1994	–	Ohio Aviators
Ostberg, Christian	LO	2.00 6-7	114 250	Jul 19 1994	–	Aurillac (FR)
Al-Jiboori, Malon	FL	1.91 6-3	109 240	Aug 1 1997	–	Lindenwood
Blair, Pat	FL	1.87 6-2	102 225	Jan 27 1990	1	San Diego Breakers
Germishuys, Hanco	FL/HO	1.86 6-1	105 230	Aug 24 1996	1	Denver Stampede
Gletzer, Alec	FL	1.85 6-1	103 225	Oct 10 1991	2	San Francisco Rush
Schirmer, Aladdin	N8/FL	1.90 6-3	102 225	Dec 31 1992	2	Central Washington
Tu’ihalamaka, Sione	N8	1.91 6-3	122 270	Sep 18 1991	–	San Diego Breakers
Bliss, Tom	SH	1.79 5-10	87 190	Mar 12 1993	1	San Diego Breakers
Boyer, Nick	SH	1.88 6-2	86 190	Jul 17 1993	–	UCal Golden Bears
Cima, Ben	FH	1.85 6-1	89 195	Mar 20 1996	–	Rocky Gorge
Audsley, Dylan	CE	1.80 5-11	89 195	Jan 15 1994	–	St. Mary’s
Barnes, Tanner	CE	1.77 5-10	93 205	Jun 12 1992	–	Central Washington
Halliman, Seth	CE/FB	1.88 6-2	91 200	May 24 1995	–	Central Washington
Thomas, Lorenzo	CE	1.90 6-3	106 235	Jan 22 1997	2	Lindenwood
Whiting, Calvin	CE	1.85 6-1	98 215	Nov 30 1995	–	Brigham Young
Laei, Tua	WI	1.76 5-9	93 205	Aug 31 1993	–	Brigham Young
Melphy, Cody	WI	1.80 5-11	89 195	Apr 5 1993	–	Life
Mikesell, Deion	WI	1.83 6-0	100 220	Jan 7 1997	1	Lindenwood
Kearns, Conor	FB	1.88 6-2	95 210	Mar 12 1993	–	Trinity College (IR)