Eagles name squad for World Cup Qualifiers

The USA will head into June’s Americas 1 Rugby World Cup Qualifying series as favorites for the first time, but their odds have dimmed somewhat with the confirmation that several overseas stars will miss the all-important matches against Canada. Samu Manoa, Greg Peterson, Thretton Palamo, and incumbent captain Blaine Scully will not recover from injuries in time while there is no place for France-based Eric Fry and Taku Ngwenya.

Providing a boost to the side from Europe are a quartet of Aviva Premiership arrivals in Titi Lamositele, Joe Taufete’e, Nick Civetta, and AJ MacGinty. Other European professionals include back row forwards Cam Dolan and David Tameilau, while Marcel Brache flies in from Australia’s Western Force.

A notable returnee in the forwards is powerful second row Ben Landry, who is fast-tracked back into the team after only recently returning to rugby with the Glendale Raptors following several months in pursuit of an NFL contract. Three current USA 7s members will join the team following their HSBC Sevens Series commitments with captain Madison Hughes, Martin Iosefo, and former Sunwolves loose forward Andrew Durutalo due to arrive. Danny Barrett is another who misses out with injury.

The Eagles begin their summer test series against Ireland at New Jersey’s Red Bull Arena on June 10, followed by a date with Georgia, ironically to be played just outside Atlanta, Georgia state. Finally the two-match World Cup qualifier series against Canada begins on June 24 in Hamilton, with the second leg at the University of San Diego’s Torero Stadium on July 1.

FORWARDS
Chris Baumann (Austin Blacks), Titi Lamositele (Saracens, UK), Anthony Purpura (Old Blue), Ben Tarr (Glendale Raptors), Dino Waldren (Trinity College, IR), James Hilterbrand (Manly Marlins, AU), Peter Malcolm (Austin Huns), Joe Taufete’e (Worcester Warriors), Nate Brakeley (NYAC), Nick Civetta (Newcastle Falcons, UK), Matt Jensen (Brigham Young), Ben Landry (Glendale Raptors), Todd Clever (Austin Huns), Cam Dolan (Cardiff Blues, UK), Andrew Durutalo (USA 7s), Tony Lamborn (Hawke’s Bay Magpies, NZ), John Quill (Glendale Raptors), David Tameilau (Narbonne, FR)

BACKS
Nate Augspurger (Old Blue), Shaun Davies (Glendale Raptors), Ben Cima (Rocky Gorge), AJ MacGinty (Sale Sharks, UK), Will Magie (Glendale Raptors), Marcel Brache (Western Force, AU), Bryce Campbell (Glendale Raptors), Martin Iosefo (USA 7s), Luke Hume (Old Blue), Ryan Matyas (Old Blue), Madison Hughes (USA 7s), Mike Te’o (Belmont Shore)

Head Coach – John Mitchell
Forwards Coach – Marty Veale
Defense Coach – Phil Greening
Strength & Conditioning – Jon Hood
Athletic Trainer – Kevin Ng
Analyst – Paul Goulding
Manager – Dave Hodges

FIXTURES
Sat, Jun 10 – 17:00 ET – vs Ireland – Red Bull Arena, Harrison, New Jersey
Sat, Jun 17 – time tbd – vs Georgia – Fifth Third Bank Stadium, Kennesaw, Georgia
Sat, Jun 24 – 15:00 ET – vs Canada – Tim Hortons Field, Hamilton, Ontario
Sat, Jul 1 – time tbd – vs Canada – Torero Stadium, San Diego, California