USA names squad for u20 Qualifier against Canada

A squad of 32 players has been named to represent the USA for next month’s World Rugby u20 Trophy qualifiers against Canada. On May 18 the team will assemble in Bellingham, Washington, for a 10-day training camp prior before heading north of the border for the two-game series.

This year’s initial group contains 11 members of last year’s team that defeated the Canadians for the right to compete at the Trophy hosted in Kenya. Most notable among them is returning captain Dom Besag, whose performances were rewarded with a spot on the Eagles tour and a test debut against Georgia.

Five players are currently based in Major League Rugby. Anthem provides second row Braemar Murray and loose forward trio Tevita Kutu, Dylan Fortune, and Graeme Pedegana. The latter is set to make his pro debut this weekend. SaberCats hooker Seth Smith also gets the call, though Anthem scrumhalf Rino Teoni and Legion back row Aminae Amiatu-Tanoi are notably absent.

Another five are currently based abroad. Arriving from Australia are Bond University prop Nikotimo Mateiwai and Randwick flanker Thomas Wagner. Scrumhalf Judd Berman plays for Trinity College in Dublin, and wingers Keelan Farrell and Corbin Smith are selected from English clubs Esher and Hartpury University respectively. Southern Districts utility back Jack Anstey and Loughborough center Kieran O’Meara are among 9 non-traveling reserves.

 

PROP
John-Henry House (St. Mary’s)
Nikotimo Mateiwai (Bond University, AU)
Asa Rosenmeier (Brown University)
Asbjorn Ross (UCLA)
Luke Schaefer (Lindenwood)
Thomas Wagner (Randwick, AU)

HOOKER
Cade Crist (Cal Berkeley)
Seth Smith (Houston SaberCats, MLR)

LOCK
George Engels (Army West Point)
Miles Malone (Cal Berkeley)
Brice Muller (Babson College)
Braemar Murray (Anthem Carolina, MLR)
Maseah Young (St. Bonaventure)

BACK ROW
Logan Ballinger (Life University)
Dylan Fortune (Anthem Carolina, MLR)
Tevita Kutu (Anthem Carolina, MLR)
Daniel Lowther (St. Bonaventure)
Graeme Pedegana (Anthem Carolina, MLR)

SCRUMHALF
Judd Berman (Trinity College, IR)
Paddy Casey (Cal Poly)
Spencer Huntley (San Diego Mustangs)
Solomon Williams (Cal Berkeley)

FLYHALF/FULLBACK
Ollie Cline (Central Washington)
Emmett Cook (Cal Barkeley)
Rand Santos (Cal Berkeley)
Ben Saunders (GCU)

MIDFIELD
Dom Besag (St. Mary’s)
Tito Edjua (Brown University)
Max Threlkeld (Cal Berkeley)
Jordan Vassel (Life University)

WING
Keelan Farrell (Esher, UK)
Corbin Smith (Hartpury, UK)

 

NON-TRAVELING RESERVES
Miles Bell (Prop, Michigan State)
Colby Marr (Hooker, Charlotte Cardinals)
Sederik Saxon (Lock/No8, Life University)
Holden Hahn (Flanker, Kentucky University)
Jeremy Zwick (Scrumhalf, Lindenwood)
Jack Anstey (Flyhalf/Fullback, Southern Districts, AU)
Kieran O’Meara (Center, Loughborough, UK)
Eddie Nelson (Center/Wing, St. Bonaventure)
Tatum Pappas (Fullback, St. Mary’s)