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The USA is now entering the vital World Cup qualification stage, and this coming Major League Rugby campaign will be of great interest to those hoping to crack the Eagles lineup. Head Coach Scott Lawrence handed test caps to 46 different players in 2024 and while he’ll want to narrow his focus in 2025, there are certainly some players who did not feature this past year who could – and should – come into the picture.
In the first of two articles looking at who might be in the mix, today we take a look at the forwards. Players are listed under two categories – those selected to Eagles longlists in 2024 – and those who missed out. Candidates are listed in order of age as of January 1, 2025.
| NAME | CLUB | AGE | CAPS |
| #1 LOOSEHEAD PROP |
2024 POOL
| Jake Turnbull | Anthem RC | 31 | 14 |
| Nathan Sylvia | San Diego Legion | 30 | 5 |
| Jack Iscaro | Old Glory DC | 27 | 13 |
| Payton Telea-Ilalio | San Diego Legion | 26 | 1 |
Iscaro is the incumbent Eagles starter and has emerged as one of the premier looseheads in MLR. Telea-Ilalio was voted the best collegiate player in the US in 2020 and is now showing his potential. He is a dynamic ball carrier but needs work at the set piece. Turnbull is a steady operator who captains Anthem, while Sylvia’s ability to cover both sides of the scrum makes him a valuable addition to any squad.
OTHERS
| Matt Harmon | NOLA Gold | 29 | 5 |
| Faka’osi Pifeleti | Chicago Hounds | 28 | 1 |
| Kyle Ciquera | New England Free Jacks | 27 | – |
| Ma’ake Muti | Miami Sharks | 27 | – |
| Chance Wenglewski | Seattle Seawolves | 27 | 11 |
Harmon is a quality scrum operator and was unlucky to be overlooked in 2024, while injury ruined Pifeleti’s hopes of a recall. Both could conceivably get back in the picture with a strong 2025 campaign. Wenglewski was once a top prospect but has slipped down the pecking order. Former All-American Ciquera is returning from a serious knee injury. Muti started for the Raptors in Super Rugby Americas last year and spent some time recently playing in Australia. He could be one to watch with Miami.
| #2 HOOKER |
2024 POOL
| Dylan Fawsitt | Chicago Hounds | 34 | 29 |
| Joe Taufete’e | NOLA Gold | 32 | 36 |
| Mike Sosene-Feagai | RFC Los Angeles | 31 | 10 |
| Sean McNulty | Miami Sharks | 29 | 5 |
| Shilo Klein | San Diego Legion | 25 | 2 |
| Kapeli Pifeleti | Saracens (UK) | 25 | 19 |
| Cyrille Cama | San Diego Legion | 23 | – |
Hooker is a position of relative strength for the Eagles with several legitimate options. Klein and Pifeleti should be in the mix straight through to 2031. The ever-reliable Fawsitt might be an option again in 2025, but time is undoubtedly against him. Taufete’e has struggled with injury in recent years, while Sosene-Feagai has been plying his trade in France but is now back in the domestic picture. McNulty enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in 2024 and earned his first taste of test rugby.
OTHERS
| Ben Strang | RFC Los Angeles | 23 | – |
| Seth Smith | Houston SaberCats | 19 | – |
It’s highly unlikely anyone outside the above group will break through at hooker in 2025, with both Strang and Smith prospects for the future. Liki Chan-Tung at San Diego might be one to watch, but he’ll first have to win game time ahead of Klein, Cama, and Hugh Roach.
| #3 TIGHTHEAD PROP |
2024 POOL
| Paul Mullen | NOLA Gold | 33 | 39 |
| Alex Maughan | Anthem RC | 29 | 8 |
| Kaleb Geiger | New England Free Jacks | 28 | 2 |
| Pono Davis | Houston SaberCats | 27 | 5 |
| David Ainu’u | Toulouse (FR) | 25 | 23 |
In a perfect world Ainu’u would be considered primarily a loosehead, where he plays most of his club rugby, but with Titi Lamositele now tied to Samoa and Roman Salanoa yet to commit he’s needed more on the right side of the scrum. Mullen is the veteran scrummager option, while Maughan has played across the front row but is now being asked to focus on tighthead. Davis and Geiger are both relatively new to rugby, with the former thus far getting the edge in the scrum while the latter excels in the loose.
OTHERS
| Angus MacLellan | Utah Warriors | 32 | 7 |
| Mason Pedersen | Seattle Seawolves | 28 | – |
MacLellan split time with Mullen at Utah in recent years and is a similar style of player who relishes the set piece. Pedersen’s progress was derailed by a knee injury last year. A punishing defender, he could yet come back into the picture if he can prove his fitness. Takaji Young Yen was once a top prospect but he missed all of 2024 with injury and now seems to have fallen out of MLR completely.
| #4/5 SECOND ROW |
2024 POOL
| Saia Uhila | Utah Warriors | 37 | 1 |
| Cam Dolan | NOLA Gold | 34 | 67 |
| 33 | 51 | ||
| Jason Damm | RFC Los Angeles | 29 | 9 |
| Siaosi Mahoni | Seattle Seawolves | 27 | 9 |
| William Waguespack | NOLA Gold | 26 | – |
| Mikey Grandy | Anthem RC | 26 | 1 |
| Nafi Ma’afu | Biarritz (FR) | 26 | – |
| Renger van Eeerten | Brive (FR) | 25 | 1 |
| 24 | – | ||
| Rick Rose | Miami Sharks | 23 | – |
The loss of incumbent skipper Peterson to retirement is a big blow – figuratively and literally. Big men in the US tend to choose other sports, so it’s slim pickings when it comes to finding US-eligible locks of genuine international size. Towering Dutchman van Eerten will be a key figure when he returns from injury, while the undersized Damm is having something of a test revival after moving up from the back row. Dolan is entering the tail end of his storied career. Mahoni is nearly the size of Peterson but is frequently injured.
Uhila was a shock call-up in July and is unlikely to return at his age. Waguespack impressed in MLR but was overlooked for a test debut in favor of Grandy, a former football player who is making the move to Charlotte from Colorado. Rose has the height but lacks experience at this stage. Ma’afu has only missed out on an Eagles cap because of injury. He’s a certain addition at some point… but it might not be at lock. Gramlick has the biggest frame of the lot but hasn’t returned to Anthem this season.
OTHERS
| Isaia Lotawa | Seattle Seawolves | 24 | – |
| Brandon Harvey | San Diego Legion | 22 | – |
| Mikaea Wynyard | RFC Los Angeles | 21 | – |
Some new blood would be most welcome at lock, even if only to get some time training with the squad. Lotawa, Harvey, and Wynyard are all big men who will be closely monitored. Harvey has already started a postseason game for San Diego and is tipped for higher honors. Lotawa recently spent time in Wales, while Wynyard is returning from a two-year stint in France with La Rochelle’s academy side. Northampton Saints lock Chunya Munga would be an automatic selection but is yet to make himself available.
| #6/7/8 BACK ROW |
2024 POOL
| Luke White | Chicago Hounds | 33 | 5 |
| Thomas Tu’avao | 31 | 10 | |
| Moni Tonga’uiha | NOLA Gold | 30 | 9 |
| Cory Daniel | Old Glory DC | 29 | 10 |
| Vili Helu | San Diego Legion | 28 | 14 |
| Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz | Old Glory DC | 28 | 14 |
| Ben Bonasso | Miami Sharks | 27 | 7 |
| Devin Short | Seattle Seawolves | 26 | – |
| Paddy Ryan | San Diego Legion | 26 | 14 |
| Tomás Casares | Miami Sharks | 25 | 3 |
| Sam Golla | Anthem RC | 25 | 7 |
| Collin Grosse | Old Glory DC | 25 | – |
| Bailey Wilson | Utah Warriors | 24 | 1 |
| Makeen Alikhan | Anthem RC | 23 | – |
Helu, Daniel, and Ryan were the starting trio in November but that selection shouldn’t be written in stone. Fa’anana-Schultz would surely have been the No8 had he been fit to tour. Bonasso is a contender at blindside or No8, while Golla could play lock or No6. Ex-Harlequins academy flanker Alikhan looked on track to debut before injury ended his year early. Tu’avao was in the Pacific Nations Cup squad but dropped out of the tour and is now seemingly without a club.
White is something of a late bloomer but is now facing a challenge for the No8 shirt in Chicago, while Tonga’uiha has always been on the fringes of the squad. Short was outstanding for Seattle when he finally arrived and is a legitimate challenger at No7. Casares was a surprise call-up in November who can cover lock, blindside, or No8. Wilson and his Utah side had a forgettable 2024 but he is still on the young side of the contenders. Grosse is a specialist blindside with a huge engine but could use another inch or two in height. Nafi Ma’afu, listed above among the locks, has recently impressed as a ball-carrying No8 for Biarritz and could yet find himself at the back of an Eagles scrum.
OTHERS
| Joe Johnston | New England Free Jacks | 26 | – |
| Ronan Murphy | Houston SaberCats | 26 | – |
| Christian Poidevin | San Diego Legion | 26 | – |
| Emmanuel Albert | Houston SaberCats | 25 | – |
| Alby O’Shannessey | Anthem RC | 25 | – |
Murphy was one of the in-form loose forwards in MLR this past year and is perhaps most effective at No8. He has a high workrate and all-round ability but isn’t a giant and might be a little short on brute strength. Albert has the size and athleticism to make an impact as a blindside flanker and one feels he’ll move up the ladder soon. If NPC standout Johnston makes himself available he could well get the nod at openside, while Poidevin would also be of interest. O’Shannessey is only now becoming eligible and the New Zealander will be one to watch with Anthem.
| 2025 OUTLOOK |
Prop and second row are a little concerning in terms of depth, and would benefit from the likes of Salanoa and Munga. As it stands there is sufficient talent to hold the scrum… though fingers will be firmly crossed that there are no significant injuries to key men like Iscaro, Ainu’u, and van Eerten. There is stiff competition for spots in the back row and Ma’afu is a European pro who could make a real impact either at lock or at No8. Despite the noted concerns it’s a better picture now than there was in the last qualification cycle, with real opportunities for a bolter or two to emerge in MLR.
