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USA Men’s Eagles coach Gary Gold has named AJ MacGinty as captain for the July internationals. The Sale Sharks flyhalf will lead a 30-man roster packed with 22 Major League Rugby players. The Eagles will face England on July 4 in London and and Ireland six days later in Dublin.
All 30 players are professionals. There is a combination of experience and young blood with 10 uncapped players named. The tour will be the USA’s first taste of international competition since RWC 2019.
MacGinty is one of four UK-based players on the roster. He is joined by Saracens pair Kapeli Pifeleti and Will Hooley, and Newcastle Falcons lock Greg Peterson. Also based abroad are Western Force center Marcel Brache and three France-based front-rowers – props David Ainu’u from Toulouse and Titi Lamositele from Montpellier, and Lyon hooker Joe Taufete’e.
Following the tour the USA will face Canada in September with home-and-away matches as part of the World Cup qualifiers. The winner will face the top South American seed for the designation of Americas 1. That team will join Argentina as the second of three guaranteed Americas competitors at RWC 2023.
USA MEN’s EAGLES
FORWARDS
David Ainu’u (Toulouse, FR), Titi Lamositele (Montpellier, FR), Paul Mullen (Utah Warriors), Chance Wenglewski (Rugby ATL), Mike Sosene-Feagai (Old Glory DC), Kapeli Pifeleti (Saracens, UK), Joe Taufete’e (Lyon, FR), Nate Brakeley (Rugby United New York), Nick Civetta (Rugby United New York), Siaosi Mahoni (San Diego Legion), Greg Peterson (Newcastle Falcons), Cam Dolan (NOLA Gold), Hanco Germishuys (Rugby United New York), Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz (Old Glory DC), Andrew Guerra (NOLA Gold), Riekert Hattingh (Seattle Seawolves), Psalm Wooching (San Diego Legion)
BACKS
Michael Baska (Utah Warriors), Ryan Rees (Rugby ATL), Ruben de Haas (Austin Gilgronis), Luke Carty (LA Giltinis), AJ MacGinty (capt., Sale Sharks, UK), Marcel Brache (Western Force, AU), Bryce Campbell (Austin Gilgronis), Mika Kruse (Utah Warriors), Ryan James (LA Giltinis), Conner Mooneyham (Austin Gilgronis), Mike Te’o (Utah Warriors), Mike Dabulas (Old Glory DC), Will Hooley (Saracens, UK)
FIXTURES
July 4 – vs England – Twickenham (London)
July 10 – vs Ireland – Aviva Stadium (Dublin)
