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Utah Warriors winger Josh Whippy is one of 13 uncapped players included in Gary Gold’s 39-strong Eagles roster for the 2018 Americas Rugby Championship. The 27-year-old was forced to withdraw from the European tour in November for personal reasons but is now set to make his test debut next month. Whippy is one of 14 players named that are already confirmed for the upcoming Major League Rugby season, the new domestic professional competition.
Former NFL running back Paul Lasike is named having completed his residency requirements along with fellow New Zealander Devereaux Ferris and Irish hooker Dylan Fawsitt. The latter pair were standouts in the 2016 PRO Rugby season. A surprise inclusion is that of former England u20 flyhalf Will Hooley who evidently qualifies via ancestry. He arrives via RFU Championship club Bedford Blues to provide competition for Ben Cima and Will Magie.
Other newcomers include Lindenwood prop Chance Wenglewski, SFGG lock Brendan Daly, Free State academy scrumhalf Ruben de Haas, former Saint Mary’s midfielder Dylan Audsley, and three players who have been training with the USA 7s side in Chula Vista – flanker Malon Al-Jiboori and strapping wingers Alex Elkins and Peni Tagive.
A handful of top European professionals have been included such as incumbent skipper Blaine Scully though they are not expected to be available for the entirety of the tournament. Most notable is the return of Titi Lamositele from a long-term neck injury. The Saracens prop has yet to play an Aviva Premiership game this season.
Among several notable absentees are Toulon back row Samu Manoa and Sale flyhalf AJ MacGinty, neither of whom will play any part in the tournament. Leicester prop Chris Baumann, Glasgow lock Greg Peterson, Worcester flanker Andrew Durutalo, and Narbonne No 8 David Tameilau are also missing. Eric Fry and Thretton Palamo remain on the disabled list.
The Eagles will begin their ARC title defense against the Argentina XV at the StubHub Center in Los Angeles on February 3. Further home matches against Canada and Chile follow, with a road trip to Brazil and Uruguay rounding out the 2018 ARC campaign.
FORWARDS
Titi Lamositele (Saracens, UK), Angus MacLellan (Chicago Lions), Huluholo Mo’ungaloa (Life West), Anthony Purpura (Old Blue), Paddy Ryan (Austin Elite), Dino Waldren (London Scottish, UK), Chance Wenglewski (Lindenwood), Dylan Fawsitt (Old Blue), James Hilterbrand (Sydney Rays, AU), Peter Malcolm (Austin Elite), Joe Taufete’e (Worcester Warriors, UK), Nate Brakeley (NYAC), Nick Civetta (Newcastle Falcons, UK), Brendan Daly (SFGG), Matt Jensen (Utah Warriors), Ben Landry (Glendale Raptors), Malon Al-Jiboori (USA 7s), Cam Dolan (Old Blue), Hanco Germishuys (Austin Elite), Tony Lamborn (Hawke’s Bay, NZ), Aladdin Schirmer (Seattle Seawolves), Psalm Wooching (Seattle Saracens)
BACKS
Nate Augspurger (Old Blue), Shaun Davies (Glendale Raptors), Ruben de Haas (Free State, SA), Devereaux Ferris (Life West), Ben Cima (Rocky Gorge), Will Hooley (Bedford Blues, UK), Will Magie (Glendale Raptors), Dylan Audsley (San Diego Legion), Marcel Brache (Perth Spirit, AU), Bryce Campbell (Glendale Raptors), Paul Lasike (Utah Warriors), Alex Elkins (USA 7s), Ryan Matyas (San Diego Legion), Peni Tagive (USA 7s), Josh Whippy (Utah Warriors), Blaine Scully (Cardiff Blues, UK), Mike Te’o (San Diego Legion)
Complete fixtures and squad details can be seen here.
