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Seattle Names Squad for World Club 7s

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Seattle Names Squad for World Club 7s

The Seattle squad has been named for the World Club 7s in London August 16-17.

The squad of 12 features nine former collegiate All Americans (7s or 15s), and one other, Mike Te'o, who represented the USA at the Under 20 level. Mike Palefau, who was an All American while at Southern Utah before starring for the USA 7s team, will captain the squad, which will feature two former USA 7s team captains in Shalom Suniula and Kevin Swiryn.

Seven of the players on the team have played for the USA in 7s - Palefau, Suniula, Swiryn, Te'o, Rocco Mauer, Peter Tiberio, Danny Barrett, and Miles Craigwell. John Cullen has been capped at 15s. Cullen, the former University of Utah standout, has been a revelation as a 7s player as his size seemed to preclude him from being able to cover enough ground in the more spacious version of rugby. But the former Ute football player seems to be able to get around the field just fine. He will join former Central Washington University 7s All American Kellen Gordon and former Cal All American Danny Barrett as the main bruisers on this team. Palefau, Swiryn, and Craigwell are no strangers to contact, while the team has plenty of pace with former Arizona star Tiberio, Tim Stanfill (another CWU 7s All American), and especially former Bowling Green All American Rocco Mauer all very quick.

Suniula and another CWU product, Andrew Nelson, as well as Te'o, will be the distributors and creators on this team.

The Seattle team is supported by Serevi and sponsored by United Health Care, Kibble & Prentice, and World Rugby Shop. Seattle won the Elite City 7s in June to qualify for a place in the World Club 7s.

Seattle Saracens World Club 7s Rosters
1. John Cullen
2. Mike Nelson
3. Miles Craigwell
4. Danny Barrett
5. Kellen Gordon
6. Peter Tiberio
7. Mike Palefau (C)
8. Shalom Suniula
9. Kevin Swyrin
10. Rocco Mauer
11. Tim Stanfill
12. Mike Te'o

The team is coached by Waisale Serevi, Ben Gollings, Pate Tuilevuka (coach/manager) and Billy Millard. Millard and Tuilevuka will be in London with the World 7’s team while Gollings will be in China with the Youth Olympics Team.

These players have been training at the Serevi Rugby Institute gym in the buildup to the event.