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Scott Lawrence has named an extended Men’s Eagles longlist ahead of the international season. This year that includes World Cup qualifiers that will begin during the Pacific Nations Cup in August. On the list of 72 names are 21 players who have yet to appear in test rugby for the USA.
Three of the uncapped players have previously won caps for other nations. Former Scotland winger Rufus McLean and ex-Samoa prop Ezekiel Lindenmuth, both SaberCats, will complete their three-year stand-down period on July 16th. Chicago flyhalf Christopher Hilsenbeck last played for Germany in 2019, while DC center Tommaso Boni represented Italy before making his Eagles debut in August 2023.
The vast majority of the players included are based in Major League Rugby. Two are still attending college in the US, with 8 plying their trade in Europe. One of those is English-born and France-based flyhalf Tom Pittman, who has been selected for the first time. Biarritz No8 or lock Nafi Ma’afu is named despite suffering a knee injury that has ended his Pro D2 season early.
Other notables include flanker duo Christian Poidevin and Joe Johnston, both of whom qualify on ancestry. Poidevin is the son of former Wallabies captain Simon Poidevin who previously starred with Randwick, while Johnston is a standout openside with Bay of Plenty in New Zealand’s provincial championship. Rugged South African blindside Marno Redelinguys once played for the Stormers in Super Rugby and now qualifies under the five-year registry regulation.
There is a recall for Seawolves No8 and captain Riekert Hattingh, who last played for the Eagles in 2021. Ending a partly self-imposed exile is towering Utah lock Matt Jensen. The most recent of his 7 test appearances came in 2018, and he announced a premature retirement from the sport in 2021. Jensen returned to be a regular starter with the Warriors in 2024 and is now back in the Eagles mix.
Nine names went through MLR’s College Draft process. Seven of those were top-five picks. There are three first-overall picks named – Conner Mooneyham (2020), Sam Golla (2022), and Erich Storti (2024). All currently play for Anthem. Houston contributes two second-overall picks, flanker Emmanuel Albert (2021) and fullback Max Schumacher (2023).
The Eagles will play three tests on home soil before beginning their PNC and RWC qualifier run. Belgium and Spain are booked in Charlotte for July 5 and July 12 respectively. England wrap up their summer tour at Audi Field in the nation’s capital on July 19.
LOOSEHEAD PROP
Jack Iscaro (Old Glory DC) 13 caps
Ezekiel Lindenmuth (Houston SaberCats) uncapped
Nathan Sylvia (San Diego Legion) 5 caps
Payton Telea-Ilalio (San Diego Legion) 1 cap
Jake Turnbull (Anthem RC) 14 caps
HOOKER
Dylan Fawsitt (Chicago Hounds) 29 caps
Shilo Klein (San Diego Legion) 2 caps
Sean McNulty (Miami Sharks) 5 caps
Kapeli Pifeleti (Provence, FR) 19 caps
Mike Sosene-Feagai (RFC Los Angeles) 10 caps
Joe Taufete’e (NOLA Gold) 36 caps
TIGHTHEAD PROP
David Ainu’u (Toulouse, FR) 23 caps
Pono Davis (Houston SaberCats) 5 caps
Kaleb Geiger (New England Free Jacks) 2 caps
Tonga Kofe (Utah Warriors) uncapped
Alex Maughan (Anthem RC) 8 caps
Paul Mullen (NOLA Gold) 39 caps
SECOND ROW
Jason Damm (RFC Los Angeles) 9 caps
Cam Dolan (NOLA Gold) 67 caps
Sam Golla (Anthem RC) 7 caps
Mikey Grandy (Anthem RC) 1 cap
Brandon Harvey (San Diego Legion) uncapped
Matt Jensen (Utah Warriors) 7 caps
Nafi Ma’afu (Biarritz, FR) uncapped
Siaosi Mahoni (Seattle Seawolves) 11 caps
Renger van Eerten (Brive, FR) 1 cap
BACK ROW
Emmanuel Albert (Houston SaberCats) uncapped
Makeen Alikhan (Anthem RC) uncapped
Ben Bonasso (Miami Sharks) 7 caps
Tomás Casares (Miami Sharks) 3 caps
Cory Daniel (Old Glory DC) 10 caps
Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz (Old Glory DC) 14 caps
Riekert Hattingh (Seattle Seawolves) 2 caps
Vili Helu (San Diego Legion) 14 caps
Joe Johnston (New England Free Jacks) uncapped
Keni Nasoqeqe (Houston SaberCats) uncapped
Christian Poidevin (San Diego Legion) uncapped
Marno Redelinghuys (Houston SaberCats) uncapped
Paddy Ryan (San Diego Legion) 14 caps
Moni Tonga’uiha (NOLA Gold) 9 caps
SCRUMHALF
Connor Buckley (Old Glory DC) uncapped
Ruben de Haas (NOLA Gold) 36 caps
Oscar Lennon (New England Free Jacks) uncapped
Ethan McVeigh (Old Glory DC) 4 caps
JP Smith (Seattle Seawolves) 6 caps
FLYHALF
Luke Carty (NOLA Gold) 20 caps
Christopher Hilsenbeck (Chicago Hounds) uncapped
AJ MacGinty (Bristol Bears, UK) 40 caps
Tom Pittman (Chartres, FR) uncapped
Rand Santos (Cal Golden Bears) 2 caps
MIDFIELD
Dom Akina (Houston SaberCats) uncapped
Dom Besag (Saint Mary’s Gaels) 9 caps
Tommaso Boni (Old Glory DC) 9 caps
Bryce Campbell (Chicago Hounds) 47 caps
Junior Gafa (Anthem RC) uncapped
Mika Kruse (Seattle Seawolves) 7 caps
Tavite Lopeti (San Diego Legion) 20 caps
Mark O’Keeffe (Chicago Hounds) 2 caps
Erich Storti (Anthem RC) 2 caps
OUTSIDE BACKS
Nate Augspurger (Chicago Hounds) 49 caps
Noah Brown (Chicago Hounds) 1 cap
Steffan Crimp (Cardiff Met, UK) uncapped
Christian Dyer (RFC Los Angeles) 15 caps
Malacchi Esdale (Seattle Seawolves) uncapped
Toby Fricker (Anthem RC) 2 caps
Lauina Futi (Seattle Seawolves) 3 caps
Ryan James (San Diego Legion) 1 cap
Rufus McLean (Houston SaberCats) uncapped
Conner Mooneyham (Anthem RC) 7 caps
Max Schumacher (Houston SaberCats) uncapped
Corbin Smith (Hartpury, UK) uncapped
Mitch Wilson (Anthem RC) 13 caps
