Hooley headlines impressive Eagles freshmen class

There are 13 uncapped players in the Eagles squad for the Americas Rugby Championship. It does sound like a lot. By comparison there were 10 new caps in last year’s ARC. The inaugural ARC in 2016, however, handed debuts to a whopping 25 newcomers. Of those, seven are returning for this year’s competition.

It’s always a bit of a gamble with new players. Will they sink or swim? Inevitably some are found out at the highest levels. The jump from American club rugby to the test arena is impossibly big for most to handle. Thankfully Major League Rugby is on the horizon to help close the gap, but it’s still months away and even then it will take time to change the landscape.

This year’s freshmen class, however, feels a bit different. Almost every player comes with a bit of fanfare and there are a handful who look capable of challenging for a spot in a full-strength Eagles side immediately, with a few World Cup spots very much up for grabs.

Will Hooley was the most surprising new call-up for the simple fact that nobody knew he was eligible. He might also be the most exciting. It wasn’t long ago that the word ‘depth’ was taboo when discussing the flyhalf position in USA rugby. Between the departure of Mike Hercus in 2009 and the arrival of AJ MacGinty in 2015 the No 10 shirt was filled by players who were serviceable at best, many shoehorned in because of the lack of quality available.

Enter 2018. MacGinty will miss the ARC with injury but there was no cause for concern with both Will Magie and Ben Cima proving their abilities last year. Hooley steps in as a wildcard. Not just a depth chart addition, an established full-time professional and a legitimate challenger for a regular test spot. Evidently he qualifies thanks to his paternal grandmother who was born and raised in Hollywood. There is a dash of showbiz in his blood.

His path to the Eagles is atypical. Hooley was part of the 2013 England u20 side that won the IRB World Junior Championship. He wasn’t a first choice player, that was current England international Henry Slade. Ironically Hooley’s only start of the tournament was the 109-0 demolition of the Junior All-Americans.

The Aviva Premiership was next, with two seasons split between the Northampton Saints and a loan deal with RFU Championship club Moseley. Things didn’t quite work out for him there and Hooley joined Slade at Exeter Chiefs in 2015. Injuries curtailed his progress with a serious concussion in November 2016 derailing his second season with the club.

In search of a fresh start and game time he signed for Bedford Blues in the Championship. It’s not the most glorious assignment but Hooley has played in 14 matches already this season and is playing well for the 4th-place Blues.

On Saturday he started against Bristol, undefeated and certain of promotion to the Premiership next season. His opposite number was Ireland international Ian Madigan but it was Hooley who looked the more assured of the two. Bristol escaped by one score. It was a moral victory for Bedford who were up against the likes of former Hurricanes and Wasps midfielder Alapati Leiua and All Blacks loose forward Steven Luatua.

Having celebrated his 24th birthday in November this is not a player in the twilight of his career looking for an easy cap. Hooley’s approach is similar to that of MacGinty, with an attacking mindset but also a varied and effective kicking game. He is also a committed defender and solid goal kicker. Should he continue to impress a return to the Premiership might well be on the cards sooner than later.

While MacGinty is undoubtedly top dog for the Eagles, Hooley gives them options. Not only is he an ideal replacement but he could also be seen as a potential starter with MacGinty pushing to inside center or vice versa, an idea that intrigued John Mitchell and will not be lost on new coach Gary Gold. At worst, Hooley will drive Magie and Cima to raise their standards or miss out on a trip to Tokyo next fall.

Others will no doubt query the appraisal of Hooley as the most exciting new face given the presence of former NFL running back Paul Lasike. In terms of highlight reel potential there is no comparison. Hooley excites the rugby purist who understands the value of a player who can control tempo and field position. Lasike is the athletic marvel set to steamroll his way into the Eagles midfield.

There will be enormous pressure on Lasike given his credentials, and no real reason to doubt that he will succeed. It may take him time to adjust given his time away from the game. Picking up the nuances of midfield defense at test level will be the challenge. The toolbox is certainly there – size, speed, power, even some useful kicking skills. It will be no surprise to see him on the bench in Los Angeles this weekend to test his impact against a formidable Argentina XV.

Dylan Audsley is the other center drafted in. He is of a completely different mold to Lasike, his attributes more subtle. The English-born Audsley is ordinary when it comes to size but has deceiving strength and can step off either foot. He can take the ball to the line and offload or put the ball through the hands. He is also a capable striker of the ball either from hand or off the tee.

There are three new names on the wing. Alex Elkins had a trial with the Detroit Lions in the NFL but rugby fans will remember him for his standout 2016 season with the Ohio Aviators in PRO Rugby. Peni Tagive is an Australian with Fijian roots who was a rugby league professional before playing collegiate football for Baylor. Both of these guys are big and fast. Tagive’s younger brother Ratu is on the books at Glasgow Warriors, though currently injured, and could be a target in the future.

Josh Whippy is the third and perhaps the most intriguing. Fijian-born, he moved to the USA to attend university at Brigham Young in Utah. After some eye-catching performances for the USA Select XV at the Americas Pacific Challenge in October he was called up to the Eagles squad for the European tour but was forced to withdraw for personal reasons. Whippy has also played a lot of fullback and likes to come in off his wing to look for work. He looks the best prospect of the three.

The two new scrumhalves are Ruben de Haas and Devereaux Ferris. de Haas comes from a strong South African rugby family and is currently in the Free State academy. At only 19 he is more of an apprentice player for now but has decent size for a halfback and big potential. Ferris is freshly-qualified on residency after moving to the Bay Area from New Zealand. He was one of San Francisco’s better players in PRO Rugby and has the talent to challenge for a starting role now.

Up front there are a pair of front row forwards. Chance Wenglewski is a physical specimen for a prop and at 20 years old has already performed well for the USA Select XV. He is a long shot for the World Cup but the fact that he is even in the conversation at his age suggests that he has a very bright future.

Dylan Fawsitt is one of four hookers in the squad. Affectionately known as ‘The Butcher,’ the 27-year-old hails from Ireland and is another who excelled with the Aviators. He plays like an extra loose forward and has a nose for the try-line. Fawsitt was a late call-up to the European tour in November but has yet to win his first test cap.

Something of a surprise selection is Brendan Daly. The SFGG captain was a key figure for the Rush in PRO Rugby and also showed well for the USA Select XV. He is a workhorse but at 6’4” (1.93m) is on the small side for a second row at test level. Blindside flanker could be an option though the Eagles are not short of contenders at loose forward.

Joining an experienced group in the back row are Junior All-American captain Malon Al-Jiboori and collegiate football star Psalm Wooching. Both are explosive athletes with decent size, with Al-Jiboori already capped by the Eagles Sevens side and Wooching on Mike Friday’s radar. The latter has only recently converted to the flank after previously being used as an outside back. It’s too soon to expect either to break into the Eagles senior side but a cap against Chile or Brazil might well be forthcoming.

Has there been a more diverse and exciting set of newcomers to an Eagles squad before? Though the likes of Peter Malcolm, Will Magie, and Ben Cima emerged from last year the pedigree of this new group as a whole feels like a step up. It will be months before we can accurately assess their standing. The next few weeks will give us a first glimpse of players who have the potential to challenge for Eagles spots not just for 2019, but for the foreseeable future.