2019 Summer Test Series

USA Rugby World Cup Squad Named

USA Rugby World Cup Squad Named

USA Rugby World Cup Squad Named

Sep 8, 2019 by Alex Goff
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USA Men’s National 15s team head coach Gary Gold has named 18 forwards and 13 backs with 10 players having previously competed in a Rugby World Cup for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Three players—captain Blaine Scully, Eric Fry, and Thretton Palamo—will play in their third RWC.

The group features three Rio 2016 Olympians including Nate Augspurger, Martin Iosefoand Ben Pinkelman. Pinkelman and Iosefo were both recently instrumental in leading the USA Men’s Sevens program to their most successful season in history. 


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More than half of the named squad began playing rugby at the youth level (middle school and earlier) with another 12 picking up the sport in high school and three doing so in college. A total of 29 players can be considered multi-sport athletes, having played in an official program for a sport other than rugby at one point in their athletic career. 

The full squad features 677 cumulative test caps. 

“We’ve picked a pretty balanced team, we’ve gone with 18 forwards and 13 backs," said Gold. "We think that the attrition for this Rugby World Cup, especially our pool, is going to take it out of our forwards, so we’ve gone with an extra forward. We’ve got good depth in almost every position, I think we’re well covered. 


"Where I think we are very lucky is that we’ve got quite a few guys who can play in multiple positions. From that point of view, we thought long and hard about those combinations and how we can best make up the combinations for the squad and what’s going to be a rather attritious pool.” 

The Eagles are drawn in Pool C against England (ranked No. 3), France (No. 8), Argentina (No. 11) and Tonga (No. 15). 


USA FORWARDS


NAMEPOSITIONCLUBCAPS
David Ainu’uPropToulouse8
Malon Al-JibooriFlankerUnattached5
Nate BrakeleyLockRugby United New York21
Nick CivettaLockUnattached23
Cam DolanNo. 8NOLA Gold47
Dylan FawsittHookerRugby United New York12
Eric FryPropVannes45
Hanco GermishuysFlankerGlendale Raptors17
James HilterbrandHookerManly Marlins19
Olive KilifiPropSeattle Seawolves27
Tony LambornFlankerMelbourne Rebels (AUS)
Hawke's Bay Magpies (NZL)
19
Titi LamositelePropSaracens28
Ben LandryLockEaling Trailfinders22
Paul MullenPropUnattached14
Gregory PetersonLockNewcastle Falcons26
Ben PinkelmanFlankerUSA Sevens1
John QuillFlankerRugby United New York36
Joseph Taufete'eHookerWorcester Warriors23




USA BACKS


NAMEPOSITIONCLUBCAPS
Blaine Scully (C)WingUnattached50
Nate AugspurgerScrumhalf / WingSan Diego Legion24
Marcel BracheCenter/WingWestern Force19
Bryce CampbellCenterLondon Irish28
Shaun DaviesScrumhalfGlendale Raptors25
Ruben De HaasScrumhalfFree State Cheetahs13
Will HooleyFullbackBedford Blues12
Martin IosefoWingUSA Sevens6
Paul LasikeCenterHarlequins16
AJ MacGintyFlyhalfSale Sharks24
Will MagieFlyhalfUnattached25
Thretton PalamoCenterHouston SaberCats18
Mike Te'oWingSan Diego Legion24


USA STAFF 

General Manager | Dave Hodges
Head Coach | Gary Gold
Assistant Coach, Attack | Greg McWilliams
Assistant Coach, Set Piece | Shawn Pittman
Assistant Coach, Defense | Jaque Fourie
Strength & Conditioning Coach | Huw Bevan
Performance Analyst | Jimmy Harrison
Assistant S&C and Analyst | Tom Kindley
Team Doctor | Mark Sakr
Team Doctor | Sam Akhavan
Head Athletic Trainer | Kevin Ng
Athletic Trainer | Kristen Douhan
Massage Therapist | Daliah Hurwitz
Team Manager | Chris Hanson
Assistant Team Manager | Mark Drown