Six uncapped players in Eagles squad for Pacific Nations Cup

Scott Lawrence has named six uncapped players in his 31-man Eagles squad for the upcoming Pacific Nations Cup. The USA will hold a 10-day training camp in Chula Vista before hosting Canada in Los Angeles on August 31, and Japan in Kumagaya on September 7. At least one and possibly two further tests will be played pending results.

Five of the newcomers ply their trade in Major League Rugby. It’s the first senior Eagles selection for hookers Cyrille Cama (San Diego) and Sean McNulty (Miami), tighthead prop Pono Davis (Houston), second row William Waguespack (NOLA), and outside back Toby Fricker (New England). McNulty previously represented Ireland at u20 level, while Fricker has played for Wales at the Rugby Europe 7s.

Cal Golden Bears standout Rand Santos is the sixth newcomer, graduating directly from the USA side that were finalists in the u20 Trophy. The flyhalf or fullback is joined by the u20 side’s co-captain Dom Besag, who has already been capped twice at center by the Eagles in 2023.

Others recalled after missing out on the July test series include loose forward trio Moni Tonga’uiha (NOLA), Cory Daniel (DC), and Jason Damm (Los Angeles). The latter is asked to cover second row with only two specialist locks included. Cheetahs scrumhalf Ruben de Haas and San Diego utility back Chris Mattina return to the squad from long-term injury.

A list of 14 non-traveling reserves is also named, among them a further eight uncapped players. Bristol flyhalf AJ MacGinty is the most notable of a 21-strong list of injured or unavailable, which also includes Toulouse prop David Ainu’u, North Harbour hooker Shilo Klein, and France-based lock pair Nafi Ma’afu (Biarritz) and Renger van Eerten (Brive).

PROP
Pono Davis (Houston SaberCats) uncapped
Jack Iscaro (Old Glory DC) 7 caps
Alex Maughan (RFC Los Angeles) 3 caps
Paul Mullen (Utah Warriors) 35 caps
Jake Turnbull (Anthem RC) 7 caps

HOOKER
Cyrille Cama (San Diego Legion) uncapped
Sean McNulty (Miami Sharks) uncapped
Kapeli Pifeleti (Saracens, UK) 12 caps

SECOND ROW
Jason Damm (RFC Los Angeles) 2 caps
Greg Peterson (capt., San Diego Legion) 44 caps
William Waguespack (NOLA Gold) uncapped

BACK ROW
Cory Daniel (Old Glory DC) 3 caps
Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz (Old Glory DC) 10 caps
Vili Helu (San Diego Legion) 7 caps
Paddy Ryan (San Diego Legion) 7 caps
Moni Tonga’uiha (NOLA Gold) 5 caps
Thomas Tu’avao (Utah Warriors) 6 caps

SCRUMHALF
Ruben de Haas (Cheetahs, SA) 31 caps
Ethan McVeigh (Old Glory DC) 1 cap
JP Smith (Seattle Seawolves) 2 caps

FLYHALF/FULLBACK
Luke Carty (Chicago Hounds) 16 caps
Chris Mattina (San Diego Legion) 5 caps
Rand Santos (Cal Golden Bears) uncapped

MIDFIELD
Dom Besag (Saint Mary’s Gaels) 2 caps
Tommaso Boni (Old Glory DC) 6 caps
Bryce Campbell (Chicago Hounds) 46 caps
Tavite Lopeti (Seattle Seawolves) 14 caps

OUTSIDE BACKS
Nate Augspurger (Chicago Hounds) 43 caps
Toby Fricker (New England Free Jacks) uncapped
Conner Mooneyham (Seattle Seawolves) 1 cap
Mitch Wilson (New England Free Jacks) 8 caps

NON-TRAVELING RESERVES
Nathan Sylvia (PR, San Diego Legion) 5 caps
Mike Sosene-Feagai (HO, Agen, FR) 10 caps
Lucas Gramlick (LO, Anthem RC) uncapped
Saia Uhila (LO, Utah Warriors) 1 cap
Collin Grosse (FL, Old Glory DC) uncapped
Devin Short (FL, Seattle Seawolves) uncapped
Bailey Wilson (FL, Utah Warriors) 1 cap
Connor Buckley (SH, Old Glory DC) uncapped
Oscar Lennon (SH, New England Free Jacks) uncapped
Christopher Hilsenbeck (FH, Biarritz, FR) uncapped
Erich Storti (CE/FB, Saint Mary’s Gaels) uncapped
Mark O’Keeffe (CE/WI, Chicago Hounds) uncapped
Christian Dyer (WI, Houston SaberCats) 15 caps
Lauina Futi (WI, Seattle Seawolves) 3 caps

INJURED/UNAVAILABLE
David Ainu’u (PR, Toulouse, FR) 23 caps
Kaleb Geiger (PR, New England Free Jacks) 2 caps
Payton Telea-Ilalio (PR, San Diego Legion) uncapped
Dylan Fawsitt (HO, Chicago Hounds) 29 caps
Shilo Klein (HO, North Harbour, NZ) uncapped
Joe Taufete’e (HO, Seattle Seawolves) 36 caps
Cam Dolan (LO, NOLA Gold) 67 caps
Nafi Ma’afu (LO, Biarritz, FR) uncapped
Siaosi Mahoni (LO, Houston SaberCats) 11 caps
Renger van Eerten (LO, Brive, FR) 1 cap
Sam Golla (LO/FL, Dallas Jackals) 7 caps
Makeen Alikhan (FL, Dallas Jackals) uncapped
Benjamín Bonasso (FL/N8, Miami Sharks) 7 caps
Luke White (N8, Chicago Hounds) 5 caps
Conor McManus (SH, Anthem RC) uncapped
AJ MacGinty (FH, Bristol Bears, UK) 37 caps
Paul Lasike (CE, Utah Warriors) 22 caps
Mika Kruse (CE/WI, Utah Warriors) 7 caps
Noah Brown (WI, Chicago Hounds) uncapped
Joe Mano (WI, Utah Warriors) 2 caps
Steffan Crimp (FB/FH, Anthem RC) uncapped