Eagles flock to Houston
The United States national team will hold its first training camp of the season from April 2 to 4 at the Strake Jesuit High School in Houston – a crucial gathering for the Eagles.
“On the heels of qualifying for the World Cup, we want to get as many people involved as possible,” US Eagles head coach Eddie O’Sullivan said.
“We are looking closely at Super League and Division One players, as well as the collegiate standouts. Unfortunately, some college players have prior commitments and will be considered for the pool a bit later in the season.”
The player pool will consist of 35 players from around the US, and while this initial training camp allows the Eagles’ coaching staff a look at some new faces, this assembly will also focus on preparing many of these players for the Churchill Cup in June.
“The Churchill Cup competition is our most important competition of the season and we want to put our best foot forward in June,” O’Sullivan added.
“This two-day camp will allow us to look closely at the new players selected in the pool and helps us to begin to put in the foundations for the summer schedule.”
The US’s first Churchill Cup match this year will be against Russia on June 5 at Infinity Park, in Glendale, Colorado.
Coincidently, this will be Russia’s first time competing in the Churchill Cup and following their recent loss to Georgia in the European Nations Cup, also qualified as Europe Two for their first ever World Cup, setting up a historic encounter with the US in their Pool C opener.
Leading up to their first competition, the US national team will assemble only once again from May 7 to 9 at the US Olympic Training Centre in Chula Vista, California.
US Eagles squad:
Forwards: Chris Biller (San Francisco Golden Gate), Peter Dahl (Belmont Shore RFC), Pat Danahy (Life University), Brian Doyle (New York Athletic Club Rugby), Hugh Galligan (Boston Rugby Club), Matt Hawkins (Belmont Shore RFC), William Haydock (Boston Rugby Club), Brian Howard (Old Puget Sound Beach RFC), Nic Johnson (Denver Barbarians RFC), Daniel LaPrevotte (San Francisco Golden Gate), Brian Lemay (Unattached), Anthony Lewis (Omaha Goats RFC), Samu Manoa (San Francisco Golden Gate), Vai Notoa (Hawaii Rugby Club), Shawn Pittman (Bayside RFC), Anthony Purpura (Boston Rugby Club), Jacob Sprague (New York Athletic Club Rugby), Louis Stanfill (Olympic Club Rugby), Phil Thiel (Life University).
Backs: Cory Blair (Belmont Shore RFC), Mark Bokhoven (Denver Barbarians RFC), Nick Edwards (New York Athletic Club Rugby), Taivalu Enosa (Belmont Shore RFC), Hunter Leyland (Texas A&M), Nese Malifa (Belmont Shore RFC), Benny Mateialona (Life University), Vito Qaqa (Brigham Young University), Zach Pangelinan (Old Mission Beach Athletic Club), Leonard Peters (Gentlemen of Aspen), Mike Petri (New York Athletic Club Rugby), Milemoti Pulu (San Francisco Golden Gate), Andrew Suniula (Chicago Griffins RFC), Kevin Swiryn (Old Puget Sound Beach RFC), Tommy Saunders (Kansas City Blues RFC), Michael Tuia (Hawaii Rugby Club).
