How would a team of America's greats fare on the world stage? While the United States has just once defeated a Tier 1 nation -- Scotland in 2018 -- there have been plenty of American players who shined in their time. 

If they were to all play at the same time in their primes, it's very possible the United States could compete with the best teams in the world. Looking back through time, here's a XV we've picked that would give the best teams in the world a run for their money:

1. Titi Lamositele

The youngest guy on this team, 25 year old Titi Lamositele has already established himself as one of the top front rowers in English rugby, having appeared 89 times for European giants Saracens since his debut as a 20 year old in 2015. With 32 USA caps already to his name, Titi has a good shot at becoming the first American player to surpass 100 appearances for his country. 

Lamositele will make the move next season to French Top14 side Montpellier, after his Saracens were relegated to the Championship for their role in repeatedly breaching the league salary cap. 

2. Joe Taufete'e

This was a pretty easy selection, given that in his first 27 test matches for the USA, Taufete'e already has 20 tries. His 20 meat pies not only rank him second all-time in Eagles history, but they are also the most tries scored by a front-rower in the history of international rugby -- for any nation. 

He's still only 27 years old and plying his trade for Worcester in the Premiership, so there's still a lot left in the tank for Joe. 

3. Shawn Pittman

Starting in 2008 and ending in 2013, Pittman represented the Eagles 30 times in the front row, showcasing an unbelievable ability to carry the ball and make crunching hits. He looked set to become one of the best players on the team for years to come, having debuted at age 20 and already establishing himself as a regular in the top-flight of England for the London-Welsh. 

Sadly, he was forced to retire at age 25 due to ongoing concussion problems, halting what could have been a truly incredible career. He was a force to be reckoned with while he was playing, and is still one of the best props the USA has ever had.

4. Luke Gross

At 6'9 and 276 lbs, Gross was a mountain of a man when he played in the late 90s and 2000s for the USA. He was one of the pioneers for American players to play professionally overseas, where he played for a number of top teams, including the Harlequins, the Scarlets, and Newcastle. With 62 caps to his name, Gross ranks third all time for the United States.

5. Dave Hodges

Hodges was a versatile player who could play anywhere in the second or the back row. He was a fan and club favorite for the Llanelli Scarlets in Wales, where he was named player of the year in both 2001 and 2002. His likability and leadership from the front saw him captain the Eagles 27 times, and he was named the USA Rugby Athlete of the Year in 2005. 

6. Samu Manoa

An absolute destroyer on the field, Manoa wasn't just the hardest hitting player in America in his time, he may have been the hardest hitting player in the world. During his time for the Northampton Saints in the Premiership, Manoa was often the team's best player, winning the Saints Supporters Player of the Year in  2013 and in 2014, and was also shortlisted for the RPA Players' Player of the Year and Premiership Player of the Year in 2014. 

He then joined French giants Toulon, where he was a regular starter for four years from 2015-2018. Because of the big contracts and obligations to his clubs overseas, Manoa wasn't as involved with the Eagles as some of the other players on this list, but in his 22 appearances he made a huge impact, particularly in the USA's upset over Scotland in 2018.   

7. Todd Clever

Captain America was another one of the guys who trail-blazed a path overseas for Americans. After his Collegiate All-American days at University of Nevada, Clever went across the world to New Zealand, where he was exposed to a whole new world of rugby. 

Playing with North Harbour in New Zealand, Clever learned a ton and improved massively as a player, landing him the opportunity to join the Lions in Johannesburg, South Africa. There he was able to play Currie Cup and Super Rugby, and make his mark as the best American in the world at the time. 

He since earned 76 caps for the United States from 2003-2017, and made additional stops to play professionally in Japan and in England. 

8. Dan Lyle

Arguably the greatest American to step onto a rugby field, Dan Lyle revolutionized the role of back row player in the Northern Hemisphere. His background in basketball and football and his elite athleticism was groundbreaking in the Premiership and in the Heineken Cup, where he played 8 seasons for Bath, winning the Heineken Cup in 1998. 

There was a period where it was debatable that Lyle was the best No. 8 in the whole world, and in his career he racked up 45 caps for the United States. 

9. Shaun Davies

Though he didn't fully claim the USA halfback job till he was in his late 20's, Davies brought a level of tempo and accuracy to the position that had never been seen before when he grabbed hold of the job in 2016. He's not a big guy at all, but he plays with heaps of aggression and heart and his leadership was a big reason for the Eagles' historic 10-1 year in 2018. 

10. AJ MacGinty

Now one of the top fly-halves in all of the Premiership, AJ has been a revelation in the #10 shirt for the Eagles since his debut in 2015. He's a lights-out goal kicker, a phenomenal field operator, a great distributor and carrier, and a first-rate defender. 

He established himself as a world class player in 2016 when he led Connacht to its first ever Pro12 title, defeating Leinster in the final. His performance that season saw him picked up by Premiership side Sale, where he has been the first choice fly-half since. 

11. Takudzwa Ngwenya

"Z" not only has one of the most famous tries in World Cup history -- burning Bryan Habana around the edge -- he also has a long and illustrious career in the French Top14. Ngwenya appeared 239 times for Biarritz from 2007-2016, scoring 56 tries in the process and helping lead them to their first ever appearance in the Heineken Cup final in 2010. 

He played 35 times for the United States, scoring 13 tries. His try here will forever be etched into rugby folklore:

12. Paul Lasike

The big man had a brief stint with the Chicago Bears in the NFL before coming back to his original sport of rugby. He made waves in year one of the MLR with the Utah Warriors before being picked up by the Harlequins in England. He's since become a regular in the team and just signed an extension with the club this past season. At 5'11 and 250 lbs, he's about as ferocious of a center as you'll see in world rugby. 

13. Chris Wyles

The ultimate Swiss-army knife, Chris Wyles did just about everything in the USA backline in his time with the Eagles. Playing at center, wing, and fullback, Wyles was a highly skilled player that worked harder than anyone on the pitch. 

His ability and work ethic saw him record an astonishing 254 caps for the Saracens in England, where he secured trophy after trophy with one of the best teams in the world. He also played 54 times for the Eagles, scoring 222 points in his career.

14. Paul Emerick 

Emerick was another American to go abroad, after finishing up his collegiate career with Northern Iowa. He had his best stints playing in Wales for the Newport Gwent Dragons in the Celtic Cup and with Parma in Italy. He also had a few games with the London Wasps and with Ulster before retiring. A phenomenal athlete, Emerick played center, wing, and fullback for the States, collecting 53 caps and scoring 17 tries. 

15. Blaine Scully

The latest Eagle to call it time on his career, captain Blaine Scully had an excellent career in the back three. He began his career at Jesuit High School in Sacramento and then the University of California Los Angeles, before heading north to play for Cal Berkeley. 

After school, he moved across the pond to join the Leicester Tigers and then the Cardiff Blues, where he was a beloved figure to fans and teammates. He played 35 times for Leicester and another 51 times for Cardiff, scoring a total of 18 tries. As an Eagle, Scully notched 54 appearances and captained the side for the final few years of his career.