World Cup Watch – USA – One Year Out

With one year to go the Eagles are in their best ever position – and yet it does not guarantee any success at Rugby World Cup 2019. England, France, Argentina, and Tonga is a very difficult pool and one that could very well see them return home with no wins even if they play well.

In their favor is that they are now well down the road on the plans having qualified more than a year ago, and look to have a settled run-on side. More importantly the emergence of Major League Rugby as a legitimate domestic competition gives them unprecedented depth across the board and, for the first time, a fully professional outfit to choose from.

Rather than take our typical ‘World Cup Watch’ approach of looking at where things stand according to the selectors, this time we look at where we think the squad might be when the plane takes off for Japan. On the match day squad there will be little debate. The rest, however, could yet see significant change.

 

USA

##

NAME

CLUB

POS

CAPS

 

FIRST CHOICE

1	Titi Lamositele	Saracens (UK)	LH	23
2	Joe Taufete’e	Worcester Warriors (UK)	HO	16
3	Paul Mullen	Newcastle Falcons (UK)	TH	3
4	Samu Manoa	Cardiff Blues (UK)	LO	21
5	Nick Civetta	Doncaster Knights (UK)	LO	15
6	Hanco Germishuys	Austin Elite	FL	8
7	Tony Lamborn	Southland Stags (NZ)	FL	16
8	Cam Dolan	San Diego Legion	N8	37
9	Shaun Davies	Glendale Raptors	SH	17
10	AJ MacGinty	Sale Sharks (UK)	FH	20
11	Blaine Scully (c)	Cardiff Blues (UK)	WI / FB	40
12	Paul Lasike	Harlequins (UK)	CE	6
13	Marcel Brache	Western Force (AU)	CE / WI	10
14	Mike Te’o	San Diego Legion	WI	21
15	Will Hooley	Bedford Blues (UK)	FB / FH	4

What immediately jumps out is the relatively low number of caps in the team. Where other teams can run out sides full of 30- and 40-cap veterans, the Eagles are forced to rely on players still finding their feet in test rugby. It doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t up to scratch, but that experience does come in handy on the world’s biggest stage where the intensity can be crushing.

The rapid inclusion of Paul Mullen, Paul Lasike, and Will Hooley in the first choice side is an indication of the kinds of players that will now opt to pursue international honors with the USA. Hooley is not an MLR product but its creation is a landmark in American rugby history, one that should see the Eagles rising towards Top-10 contention sooner rather than later. That elevation in status is in itself a lure for eligible players like Hooley or swaying athletes from other pursuits such as Lasike.

AJ MacGinty’s form in the Premiership this year has been exceptional and he brings a touch of class to the team. Behind him are Hooley and Will Magie, each accomplished players at the position in their own right. Tadhg Leader is now eligible on residency adding yet another option at 10. The Eagles are now the envy of all Tier 2 sides at the pivot position.

There are only minor quibbles to be made in the starting lineup. Does Samu Manoa start, or is he best as an impact sub? Is Hanco Germishuys ready to start at a World Cup? The most likely situation for both is in the starting side, though John Quill is capable of rising to start at either flank position.

Hooley passed his fullback test with flying colors leaving the biggest question is on the wing. Blaine Scully, the captain, is a certainty on one. If Bryce Campbell starts alongside Lasike in the midfield the problem is solved, with Marcel Brache shifting out wide. Brache, however, is more experienced in the midfield where he plays for the Western Force. In that case a genuine finisher could find a home with Mike Te’o the highest on the list though he will be required to earn his spot when he returns from injury,

 

REPLACEMENTS

16	Dylan Fawsitt	Rugby United New York	HO	5
17	Eric Fry	Vannes (FR)	LH	44
18	Dino Waldren	London Scottish (UK)	TH	25
19	Ben Landry	Ealing Trailfinders (UK)	LO	17
20	Vili Toluta’u	Seattle Seawolves	FL / N8	15
21	Nate Augspurger	San Diego Legion	SH / WI	21
22	Will Magie	Glendale Raptors	FH	16
23	Bryce Campbell	London Irish	CE	18

Dino Waldren is in a good position to regain the reserve tighthead spot but Chris Baumann should have something to say about that. The latter is without a club deal at the moment but should find a home with an MLR side in the near future.

The backup hooker spot requires some thought. James Hilterbrand is above Fawsitt in the pecking order at the moment but if he does not play in the MLR season he will almost certainly be usurped. A new name back in the picture is Mike Sosene-Feagai, who is getting regular game time with Auckland in the Mitre 10 Cup. He would also be well-served by heading to MLR following his commitments. Others who could challenge are a returning Peter Malcolm at Austin, NOLA’s Cam Falcon, and San Diego signing Pat O’Toole, formerly of Connacht who is USA-eligible.

Gary Gold has preferred to use two big men on the bench with Ben Landry covering the blindside in recent tests but Landry is seen as a lock at Ealing and it’s there he’s most likely to be picked for the World Cup. As mentioned John Quill is in contention for a starting role. On the bench, however, it’s Vili Toluta’u who stands to make the biggest jump this year. His ability to make big plays and cover across the back row makes him an ideal bench option.

 

TRAVELING RESERVES

24	Olive Kilifi	Seattle Seawolves	LH	24
25	Chris Baumann	unattached	TH	25
26	Greg Peterson	Glasgow Warriors (UK)	LO	15
27	John Quill	Glendale Raptors	FL	27
28	David Tameilau	Glasgow Warriors (UK)	N8	9
29	Ruben de Haas	Free State Cheetahs (SA)	SH	4
30	Dylan Audsley	San Diego Legion	CE / FB	6
31	Ryan Matyas	San Diego Legion	WI / CE	10

The selection of Chris Baumann as a reserve hooker for the test in Halifax may have been one of necessity but also changes the World Cup selection dynamic. With Germishuys and possibly Toluta’u also able to cover hooker in an emergency, a third specialist may not be required. Choosing a sixth prop gives the Eagles a chance to keep their big men fresh and also a full compliment to work with at practice.

David Tameilau’s contract with Glasgow should see his fitness standards raise appreciably and in doing so securing his spot in the squad. He provides additional cover at lock with clubmate Greg Peterson still in the running for a spot in the match day squad.

Versatility gets both Dylan Audsley and Ryan Matyas in though they will have competition, especially from emerging Glendale talent Mika Kruse. Josh Whippy is another who looked in very good form until being injured in the MLR preseason. A strong campaign in 2019 could see him rocket back into test contention.

 

NON-TRAVELING RESERVES

32	James Hilterbrand	Manly Marlins (AU)	HO	16
33	Luke White	Glendale Raptors	LH	–
34	Paddy Ryan	Austin Elite	TH	4
35	Matt Jensen	Utah Warriors	LO	7
36	Sebastián Kalm	New Orleans Gold	FL	–
37	Riekert Hattingh	Seattle Seawolves	N8	–
38	Holden Yungert	New Orleans Gold	SH	–
39	Ben Cima	San Diego Legion	FH	10
40	Mika Kruse	Glendale Raptors	CE	–
41	Josh Whippy	Utah Warriors	WI / FB	4
42	Conor Kearns	San Diego Legion	FB	–

As above the option of taking only two hookers appears a real one. Also worth noting is that both Hilterbrand and Sosene-Feagai are in far more comfortable time zones should they be summoned from Australia or New Zealand, whereas calling in a hooker from the USA on short notice would require a very difficult adaptation.

Kilifi and Baumann have favorable odds for making the plane but there will be a number of contenders in MLR. A match-fit Paddy Ryan is a tough customer at tighthead and there are others with prior test experience such as Angus MacLellan and Ben Tarr. Players with potential include Sione Tu’ihalamaka, Alex Tucci, and John Hayden, but the tournament may come too soon. Similarly David Ainu’u in the Toulouse Academy could get a call just to give him the experience of being at a World Cup.

Luke White is one of a handful of interesting names that will become USA-eligible in the months before the tournament. He could be included in the Americas Rugby Championship and will be getting a close look from the selectors provided Glendale stop playing him at lock. Another such player is Riekert Hattingh, the South African dynamo who showed his capability at the tail end of the MLR season. He won’t be eligible until June but that’s still plenty of time to get him integrated.

The second row is also filling up with contenders. Siaosi Mahoni was selected ahead of Matt Jensen in June but the latter had considerably more impact in the MLR season and if that continues in 2019 should be the next man in. Nate Brakeley will line up for New York and is headed to Montevideo next month, while Christian Ostberg is looking for more playing time in the French Pro D2.

Chilean age-grade star Sebastián Kalm is already eligible and would likely have been part of the team headed to Uruguay next month had he not been injured while playing for NOLA. Whippy has the x-factor to get into the traveling team and Conor Kearns could vault into contention if he impresses in Montevideo. Ben Cima has dropped out of favor slightly after a trying season with San Diego but has the talent to rebound in the coming months.

JP Eloff offers versatility in the backs, as does Brendan Daly in the forwards. Psalm Wooching is an exciting athlete but will play enough rugby in time? What about young talent like Devin Short or Malon Al-Jiboori? Nick Boyer looked good for San Diego, can he push ahead of Holden Yungert or even Nate Augspurger? Is there a chance for a Thretton Palamo comeback, or will Seamus Kelly make himself available again?

To have reasonable discussions about even the non-traveling reserves is truly exciting where in the past it might have been difficult just coming up with names that made sense. The Eagles are clearly on the rise. Earning a win against Tonga will be a priority in Japan but rattling or even upsetting their other esteemed opposition isn’t as far-fetched as some might think. November’s European tour will be make or break for some players and tell us more about their ability to compete on the road.

 

A complete list of the USA’s senior player pool can be seen here.