USA Rugby has entered a men's sevens team into the Sudamérica Rugby Sevens this weekend in Puna Del Este, Uruguay.

The team, touring as the USA Falcons, is coached by JD Stephenson and features a few experienced Eagles players, plus a large number of up-and-comers to face Uruguay (2:15 PM ET), France (6:05 PM ET) and Brazil (8:17 PM ET) in pool play on Saturday.

The tournament will be held over two weekends: this Saturday and Sunday in Punta Del Este and Jan. 13-14 in Viña Del Mar, Chile.

Patrick Blair, capped in both 15s and sevens, is now in the U.S. Army and is part of the World Class Athlete Program. He is the most experienced player and the squad's captain. Naima Fualaau and Anthony Welmers (like Blair, is in the WCAP program) have also played for the USA sevens team.

Blair's job will be to lead a squad of very young players. Among them is Sam Walsh, who played in school in New Zealand and suited up for the USA U19s; Ben Broselle, a Chuckanut (WA) product who was a bruising runner for the High School All-Americans; and Devin Short, the Las Vegas Black Hawks No. 8 who won the US Olympic Committee's "Next Olympic Hopeful" contest that put him in training at Chula Vista, CA.

@NBCSports, @TeamUSA give a shot to Olympic Hopefuls. LV product Devin Short to enter the yaka yard @MikeFriday09 https://t.co/hlBpMZwoG6

— Alex Goff (@goffrugbyreport) August 27, 2017

Anthony Salabar and Nicklas Boyer are somewhat older selections for the team. Both were standouts for USA age-grade teams and went on to earn All-America honors at Cal. Alex Elkins, just named to the USA 15s squad for the Americas Rugby Championship, is a former player for the Alliance High School program in Texas and then played football at Oklahoma State. Zach Webber is a former HS All-American who is now at BYU, while Siale Maka played at Northern Colorado before his form with the Denver Barbarians gave him a USA look.

Cal Rugby: Anthony Salaber https://t.co/mX4K2cExMh

— Cal Sports Now (@CalSportsNow) May 3, 2017

Connor Wallace-Sims learned his rugby in the UK before getting time with the USA U20s, and then on to Old Blue in New York. He has been in Chula Vista this past year.

The team is coached by former Men's Junior All-American head coach and current USA Rugby High Performance Talent ID Manager JD Stephenson. He is supported by LifeWest's Adriaan Ferris and Dartmouth athletic trainer Ben Schuler.

"This is a great tour and opportunity for players to step up as leaders and influencers from the wider playing group," Stephenson said. "Being in a competitive and changing tour environment fosters continued development and we are excited to see those players grow over the course of the 10 days.

"The coaching staff is extremely pleased and excited about the professionalism and adaptiveness of the playing group," the coach added. "The players are well rested after a long trip and ready for the challenges that lay ahead for them."

USA Men’s Falcons Roster | 2018 Sudamérica Sevens Tournament 

1. Pat Blair
2. Nick Boyer
3. Ben Broselle
4. Alex Elkins
5. Naima Fualaau
6. Siale Maka
7. Anthony Salaber 
8. Devin Short
9. Sam Walsh
10. Zach Webber
11. Connor Wallace-Sims 
12. Anthony Welmers 

USA Men’s Falcons Staff | 2018 Sudamérica Sevens Tournament 

JD Stephenson – Head Coach

Adriaan Ferris – Assistant Coach

Ben Schuler – Physiotherapist

— A USA Rugby press release contributed to this report