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Former Italy center Tommaso Boni has been called up to the USA Eagles squad for their August international series against Romania, Portugal, and Georgia. He previously played 11 tests for the Azzurri between 2016 and 2018. The 30-year-old from Zebre is eligible to switch allegiance through his grandfather who was born in New York.
Boni is one of 18 uncapped players in the 34-man list of potential tourists. A squad of 33 was named to take part in a training camp that will assemble in Charlotte, North Carolina, on July 16th. AJ MacGinty will not take part in the camp but will join the squad pending club commitments. The group will be reduced to 30 prior to departure.
Along with Boni, five other newcomers have been added to the squad who were not part of the initial 54-man longlist. Seawolves prop duo Jake Turnbull and Mason Pedersen get the call, along with San Diego hooker Shilo Klein, Utah prop Takaji Young Yen, and Irish loose forward Paddy Ryan who is making the move to Ampthill to Coventry during the RFU Championship off-season.
Turnbull and Pedersen have represented the USA at senior ‘A’ level previously but could now be in line to make their test debuts. Klein and Young Yen are American-born but each represented New Zealand at age grade level, Klein the u20s and Young Yen the Schools side. Ryan qualifies through ancestry and was previously part of the Leinster Academy before moving to England.
San Diego prop Nate Sylvia meanwhile will now be considered a loosehead instead of tighthead, with both Kaleb Geiger and Joe Taufete’e capable of playing hooker or tighthead. There are five second rows included and only four loose forwards, all uncapped.
Most of the USA’s overseas contingent will miss out on the tour. Greg Peterson and Nick McCarthy played for Newcastle and Leinster respectively this past season but are now linked with moves to Major League Rugby sides. Boni recently signed a one-year extension to stay in Parma.
LOOSEHEAD PROP
Jack Iscaro (Old Glory DC) 2 caps
Nathan Sylvia (San Diego Legion) 3 caps
Jake Turnbull (Seattle Seawolves) uncapped
HOOKER
Dylan Fawsitt (New York Ironworkers) 22 caps
Shilo Klein (San Diego Legion) uncapped
Joe Taufete’e (Houston SaberCats) 35 caps
TIGHTHEAD PROP
Kaleb Geiger (New York Ironworkers) uncapped
Paul Mullen (Utah Warriors) 30 caps
Mason Pedersen (Seattle Seawolves) uncapped
Takaji Young Yen (Utah Warriors) uncapped
SECOND ROW
Nate Brakeley (New York Ironworkers) 30 caps
Cam Dolan (NOLA Gold) 63 caps
Sam Golla (Dallas Jackals) uncapped
Ben Mitchell (Seattle Seawolves) uncapped
Greg Peterson (Newcastle Falcons, UK) 39 caps
BACK ROW
Collin Grosse (Old Glory DC) uncapped
Paddy Ryan (Ampthill, UK) uncapped
Thomas Tu’avao (Utah Warriors) uncapped
Luke White (Chicago Hounds) uncapped
SCRUMHALF
Ruben de Haas (Saracens, UK) 28 caps
Nick McCarthy (Leinster, IR) uncapped
FLYHALF
Luke Carty (Chicago Hounds) 10 caps
AJ MacGinty (Bristol Bears, UK) 35 caps
Duncan van Schalkwyk (Rugby ATL) uncapped
MIDFIELD
Tommaso Boni (Zebre, IT) uncapped
Mika Kruse (Utah Warriors) 5 caps
Tavite Lopeti (Seattle Seawolves) 7 caps
WING
Nate Augspurger (San Diego Legion) 36 caps
Christian Dyer (Houston SaberCats) 11 caps
Lauina Futi (Seattle Seawolves) uncapped
Joe Mano (Utah Warriors) uncapped
FULLBACK
Line Latu (American Raptors) uncapped
Chris Mattina (Chicago Hounds) uncapped
Mitch Wilson (New England Free Jacks) 3 caps
NON-TRAVELING RESERVES
Faka’osi Pifeleti (LH, San Diego Legion) 1 cap
Alex Maughan (LH/HO, Rugby ATL) 1 cap
Peter Malcolm (HO, Seattle Seawolves) 11 caps
Pono Davis (TH, Houston SaberCats) uncapped
Angus MacLellan (TH, Utah Warriors) 7 caps
Siaosi Mahoni (LO, Houston SaberCats) 9 caps
Vili Helu (FL, Rugby ATL) 3 caps
Bailey Wilson (FL, Utah Warriors) uncapped
Keni Nasoqeqe (FL/N8, Houston SaberCats) uncapped
Michael Baska (SH, Chicago Hounds) 3 caps
Ryan Rees (SH, Rugby ATL) 2 caps
Dom Akina (CE, Houston SaberCats) uncapped
Aki Pulu (CE, American Raptors) uncapped
Martin Iosefo (WI, Seattle Seawolves) 11 caps
Logan Tago (WI, Utah Warriors) uncapped
