Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
USA Eagles flanker John Quill has retired from international duty. As a veteran of two Rugby World Cup tournaments he says good bye to the Eagles at the young retirement age of 29.
Quill earned 37 test caps for the USA, scoring five tries. His international appearances came over a period from November 2012 to September 2019 and saw him playing test matches in a host of places from Colwyn Bay, Wales to Suva, Fiji and from Wiesbaden, Germany to Kobe, Japan.
His test debut was against Russia in North Wales. It saw him starting together with Todd Clever and Scott LaValla in a notable back-row formation. The Eagles would win the match 40-26.
Seven years later Quill’s final cap would not be under such memorable circumstances. The flanker was red carded for foul play in the USA’s pool match against England at RWC 2019. His no-arms high shot on England captain Owen Farrell saw his RWC over early through suspension.
Quill’s first call-up to the Eagles came from Boston RFU. He wold subsequently play professional rugby in the UK for London Welsh before returning to play in the USA as a professional. He would do so for the Sacramento Express in the defunct Pro Rugby before playing Major League Rugby for the Glendale Raptors in 2018 and Rugby United New York beginning in 2019. He lives in Staten Island, New York.
