RWC Missing XV – USA

Debate inevitably follows each Rugby World Cup squad announcement. We have already looked at the missing men of Argentina, Canada, and Uruguay. Today we conclude with the USA. Players eligible include all who remain active, including those injured, retired from international duty, or simply overlooked.

The emergence of Major League Rugby has given Gary Gold considerably more talent to sift through, more than any other Eagles coach before him. His consistency in selection left room for few surprises in his final 31, with only a handful of spots even a little bit worthy of debate.

1 – Chance Wenglewski (Rugby ATL) There was an element of surprise to some, though perhaps not outright shock, that the 22-year-old was omitted. With Olive Kilifi selected for his experience and versatility, it left Wenglewski fighting against David Ainu’u for one spot, with the younger Toulouse player eventually getting the nod. Wenglewski continues to develop and should be a factor in Eagles selection for many years to come.

2 – Mike Sosene-Feagai (Auckland) Hooker would have been an area of some discussion for the selectors, but just for the final squad but even for those to include in the extended group. Peter Malcolm and Pat O’Toole, for example, are both quality players who didn’t make the top 5. With Joe Taufete’e the clear and obvious starter it came down to backups with Dylan Fawsitt and James Hilterbrand preferred. Sosene-Feagai is more mobile than either but his three-year absence from the Eagles camp had him at a disadvantage. Kapeli Pifeleti might have been expected to travel with an eye to the future and is arguably the more surprising omission.

3 – Chris Baumann (Austin Blacks) While the established pecking order would have Paddy Ryan or Dino Waldren here, we will take a slightly different angle. Heading into 2018, Baumann was first choice tighthead and he spent a season with Leicester Tigers after a spell in Wellington. In turning down a spot in the 2019 MLR season he effectively ruled himself out of World Cup contention. A different decision might have seen him traveling to Japan.

4 – Samu Manoa (Seattle Seawolves) Included in the original extended group, the big man is no longer at the heights of his powers – smashing the best in Europe on a daily basis for the best part of eight years takes its toll on the body. He was still expected to make an impact for the Eagles at the World Cup until he announced his sudden retirement from international rugby. When Nick Civetta went down some suggested an SOS be sent to Manoa. Civetta has since recovered sufficiently to make the trip and it seems Manoa – along with another veteran in Louis Stanfill – will close out his playing days in MLR rather than the test arena.

5 – Matt Jensen (Utah Warriors) A more like-for-like replacement for Civetta would have been Jensen. The main man in the Warriors lineout is one of the best jumpers in MLR and can play either side of the engine room in the scrum. Possibly counting against him is that he maintains a full-time day job alongside his professional rugby duties. Houston’s Victor Comptat is another lighthouse with potential. Christian Ostberg is still working his way back from long-term injury with Aurillac but it’s hoped will one day come back into contention.

6 – Psalm Wooching (San Diego Legion) Dropping out of the squad early was Wooching, who has made great strides over the past season with San Diego. There are few occasions where he comes out second best in the collisions. At 25 years old there is reason to believe he can become a starting flanker in time for RWC 2023. Ostberg has the size and athleticism to play on the blindside, while it would have been fun to see sevens star Danny Barrett on the XVs pitch again either on the flank or at No8.

7 – Andrew Durutalo (Ealing Trailfinders) Four players who might be considered primarily openside flankers have been named in the squad. The USA is certainly not short on options, but there remains a case to be made that Durutalo is still the best of the bunch. He continues to play at a high standard since stepping away from international duty in 2018. We think Durutalo could have been an ideal player to bring off the bench. Seattle’s Vili Toluta’u looked in great shape to travel in 2018 but injury ruined his chances in 2019.

8 – David Tameilau (Glasgow Warriors) Three MLR standouts – Ross Deacon, Riekert Hattingh, and Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz – were in the mix when the wider training group was announced. Of those the latter came closest and might be considered unlucky not to travel after an impressive run with Houston. At his best, Tameilau is a formidable ball carrier but his fitness levels continue to be a concern for selectors and limited game time with Glasgow wasn’t enough to sway their opinion.

9 – Nick Boyer (San Diego Legion) It’s been a frustrating year for Boyer, who hasn’t really done anything wrong but missed out on opportunities to impress after Nate Augspurger took over the halfback duties in San Diego. Boyer is a unique athlete who brings rare size to the No9 shirt, effectively becoming an extra loose forward with ball in hand. He will head to Texas next season to get more time at his preferred position. NOLA’s Holden Yungert is another who was left out when 35-year-old Mike Petri was a surprise choice in the extended group.

10 – Ben Cima (Seattle Seawolves) With AJ MacGinty, Will Magie, and Will Hooley all traveling there was no need for Cima to make the trip. In terms of footballing talent he is right up here but lacks a bit of consistency and his defense lets him down on occasions. At 23 he still has time to develop into a genuine contender. New England’s Tadhg Leader was next in line.

11 – Gannon Moore (Utah Warriors) His spot in the squad went to Martin Iosefo, a bit of a surprise crossover from the Eagles Sevens program. Moore has similar attributes in terms of size and strength, and is surely the faster of the two. He can also cover the midfield, where he played for Utah. Iosefo’s big-game experience looks to have given him the edge, though not all agree with the decision.

12 – Dylan Audsley (San Diego Legion) The four midfielders taken to Japan are all big bodies who can punch their way over the gainline. Audsley is a very different player, much smaller in stature but a skilled distributor with good footwork and the ability to kick both out of hand and off the tee. Being able to play both center spots and fullback would have made him an ideal tourist, but a serious ankle injury suffered against Toronto took him out of contention.

13 – Ryan Matyas (San Diego Legion) Seen more as a winger at test level, Matyas is also an effective attacker at outside center. As with Audsley he is smaller than those chosen but makes up for it with speed and smart running lines. Heading into late-2018 he was still viewed as a probable for the World Cup but injuries slowed his season with San Diego and he was overtaken by Moore and latterly Iosefo.

14 – Josh Whippy (Utah Warriors) We could have opted for the versatile and reliable Tim Maupin, the natural next choice in the extended group. We feel Whippy, however, has the talent to be contending for a starting spot now. A terrible ankle injury wrecked his 2018 season and he got off to something of a late start in 2019 but looked good at every opportunity. Curious selection policies at the Warriors saw him spend too much time on the bench which ultimately appears to have cost him a chance to prove his value to the Eagles.

15 – JP Eloff (NOLA Gold) Another like Audsley whose versatility made him a good option for a tournament situation. Eloff can play flyhalf, center, and fullback at a high level. He is also a high-percentage goal-kicker. Hooley’s installation as first choice at No15 with Magie regarded as similarly capable meant Eloff was on the outside looking in. The selection of Madison Hughes for the Pacific Nations Cup sealed his fate.