Training a little out of the way in Okinawa, Japan, the USA Men's National Team hasn't been idle despite not having a game in the Rugby World Cup opening rounds.

Nick Civetta has been working hard to get fit for the opener against England. The lock forward, who was a key part of the USA's lineout plans before he dislocated his ankle against Canada in July, is happy he got picked for the squad despite the injury. But he's also sounding optimistic that he'll be fit to play.

"It’s a massive honor to be here with USA Rugby," he said. "It’s something I’ve been working for a long time. To do it with such a great group of guys is such a privilege and it’s been really enjoyable so far. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in next week." 

Meanwhile, Martin Iosefo continues to come on in leaps and bounds.

He needed to reacquaint himself with playing 15s, which requires a little different approach to handling contact, looking for offloads, and positioning, to name a few things.

Playing several test matches helped. 

"Leading up to the Pacific Nations Cup, getting those test matches in has definitely been a valuable thing for me, leading up to the World Cup," Iosefo said. "Coming into the first week, a lot is put on you in meetings and the different training sessions and all you want to do is run the ball into space. I was having to adapt, but I’ve had a great group of guys around me as well as staff who’ve been very, very helpful in getting me up to speed with everything."

So both players are thinking they might run on against England on September 26.

"We respect a team like England and the type of experience they have," said Iosefo. "We’ve got to make sure we put in a performance we can be proud of when the time comes on Thursday."

Sevens Familiarity

Iosefo knows England speedster Ruaridh McConnochie well as they both are experienced sevens players. 

"We know each other very well through the sevens circuit on and off," he said. "He’s a good player, a great set of skills on him. He’s deceptively fast. He’s done well in the Premiership so I’m sure he’ll go well for the World Cup."

The Big Day Coming Fast

"I’m excited to see what Kobe’s like," added Iosefo about the Eagles' next stop. "The leadup to it can be overwhelming. Waiting around and training can get repetitive at times but you’ve got to find ways to enjoy it because this is a one-time deal for most people. You might not get another shot at it, so for me, personally, it’s about just enjoying this whole process."