The Rugby Weekend game between the USA and Maori All Blacks on November 4 isn't the only game the USA Men's 15s team will play this fall.

The Eagles will use that non-test game in Chicago as a jumping-off point for a two-game series in Europe. On November 12, the Eagles will play Romania in Bucharest. This is a rivalry game played between the two nations for the Pershing Cup. The Pershing Cup is named after former USA Army General John J. Pershing, who commanded the US forces in World War I and is the only American to be promoted to the rank of General of the Armies while still alive.

He was considered a hero in Romania, as well, and was awarded the Order of Michael the Brave. That is why the trophy is named after Pershing.

Then the Eagles are to play Tonga in a neutral European location a week later. The USA is 6-1 all-time against Romania, with the only loss being at the 1999 Rugby World Cup, a 27-25 decision. They defeated Romania in Bucharest 34-3 in 2012 and 27-17 in 2014. Against Tonga, the USA has continued to be touted as having a solid chance to beat Tonga, but holds a 2-7 record against the Polynesian nation. The one victory was a 30-10 decision in 1999. The two nations have played each other in each of the last five years, with Tonga winning the close ones (22-13 in 2012 and 18-9 in 2013), and the not-close ones (40-12 in 2013 and 44-13 in 2011), and when it was neither close nor a blowout (33-19 in 2015). 

Of the eight times the Eagles have faced Tonga, five have been at neutral sites.