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Stanfill Leads USA Selects

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Stanfill Leads USA Selects

LANGFORD, BC – Louis Stanfill will captain the Eagles Select XV as Mike Tolkin’s team begins its 2014 IRB Americas Rugby Championship campaign Saturday, Oct. 11, against the Argentina Jaguars.

Stanfill will partner Brigham Young University’s Kyle Sumsion at flanker behind John Cullen and Graham Harriman in the second row, while Phil Thiel will hook between Nick Wallace and Olive Kilifi. In total, the forwards have 94 caps’ worth of experience – 48 of which belong to the captain.

“He’s really made his presence and leadership known,” Tolkin said of the Seattle Saracens man. “He’s spoken to the boys when he’s needed to but hasn’t overdone it. I think it’s great for the young guys to see what a veteran Eagle acts like and to have him show them the ropes.”

Shalom Suniula will command the scrum half position with Adam Siddall in support at fly half. Suniula wore the No. 10 shirt throughout the summer, though Tolkin said it was always the plan to have him at scrum half before the injuries to Siddall and Toby L’Estrange earlier this year.

Shalom’s brother, Andrew, returns to action at inside center after missing most of the Eagles’ Summer Series with an injury sustained in the match against Scotland at BBVA Compass Stadium. Chad London, who came on as a blood substitute in the same match, will start outside of Suniula.

“This is [Chad’s] opportunity to show what he can do,” Tolkin said of the Glendale Raptor. “He spent the summer on the bench and it’s a great opportunity for him.”

Tim Maupin, who has been training at Trinity College in Dublin this fall, will start the match against the Jaguars at wing opposite Metropolis’ Lemoto Filikitonga. Maupin scored two tries in last year’s 30-10 win against Canada at Westhills Stadium, which helped the Eagles Select XV finish second in the tournament with two wins.

For the third consecutive year, the Eagles Select XV will open the tournament against the Jaguars, who have won the 2012 and 2013 incarnations. Last year, Siddall kicked three successful penalties for the Selects’ only points in the match.

“We’re jumping right into the fire here with the Jaguars, so I think it really makes the guys focus quicker and know that, pretty quickly, they’re in a game,” Tolkin said.

Kickoff at Westhills Stadium at Rugby Canada’s Centre of Excellence is scheduled for 2:30 P.M. PT. Watch the match live on Rugby Canada TV and follow @USARugby on Twitter for live match updates.

Eagles Select XV | v Argentina Jaguars
1. Nick Wallace
2. Phil Thiel
3. Olive Kilifi
4. John Cullen
5. Graham Harriman
6. Louis Stanfill
7. Kyle Sumsion
8. Matthew Trouville
9. Shalom Suniula
10. Adam Siddall
11. Tim Maupin
12. Andrew Suniula
13. Chad London
14. Lemoto Filikitonga
15. Troy Hall

Eagles Select XV | Reserves
16. Zachary Fenoglio
17. Ben Tarr
18. Angus MacLellan
19. Brian Doyle
20. Ben Pinkelman
21. Nate Augspurger
22. Justin Hundley
23. Tim Stanfill

Argentina Jaguars | v Eagles Select XV
1. Lucas Noguera
2. Matías Cortese
3. Matías Díaz
4. Guido Petti
5. Matías Alemanno
6. Rodrigo Báez
7. Javier Ortega Desio
8. Facundo Isa
9. Felipe Ezcurra
10. Patricio Fernández
11. Dan Isaack
12. Brian Ormson
13. Joaquín Paz
14. Facundo Barrea
15. Román Miralles

Eagles Select XV | IRB Americas Rugby Championship Schedule
v Argentina - Saturday, Oct. 11 - 5:30 P.M. ET
v Canada - Wednesday, Oct. 15 - 11:00 P.M. ET
v Uruguay - Sunday, Oct. 19 - 5:30 P.M. ET