(USA Rugby Release) - USA Rugby Boys High School All-Americans Head Coach Salty Thompson has selected an assembly squad of 16 young rugby players for this week's Las Vegas Invitational in Nevada.

The BHSAAs, supported by Aircraft Charter Solutions, have won the Cup in the under-18 sevens division three times in the past five seasons – most recently in 2014. There were two American teams in the competition last year, with the first conceding the Cup to perennial British Columbia Rugby Union.

Four high school seniors – Luke Bienstock (Conn.), William Brennan (Wash.), Christian Dyer (Calif.), and Leki Fotu (Utah) – return from the 2015 team, with the LVI veterans buoyed by seven teammates that went on the 15s tour to Belgium and France last spring.

"We will work hard early this week so the 16-man squad will be narrowed to 14 on game days," Thompson said. "This also gives us a safety net if players pick up injuries in training."

Several former BHSAAs have continued their rugby careers through to the college and club games, while a select few have already been capped at the international level. BHSAA graduate Lorenzo Thomas played for the AIG Men's Junior All-Americans one week last month before making his senior debut with the Eagles in the inaugural Americas Rugby Championship the next, and longtime All-American Hanco Germishuys won his first senior cap over the weekend.

Seth Halliman was also a part of the 2014 squad that won the tournament, and will be in Las Vegas as part of one of Mike Friday's Eagles – for the 2015-16 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series event – or Falcons in the LVI's America's Cup division.

"Seeing players such as Hanco Germishuys, Lorenzo Thomas, and Deion Mikesell as Eagles within a year or two of high school is motivating," Thompson said.

Eleven states are represented in the 16-man training group, with BHSAA alum Sim Mander the only U.S.-eligible athlete competing abroad. Joining Germishuys and Thomas last month with the MJAAs in a thrilling World Rugby U20 Trophy qualifier defeat of Canada were Ruben de Haas and Fotu, who will be trying to send the All-American patch to the top of the LVI standings at Heritage Park, Silver Bowl Sports Complex, and Star Nursery Fields March 3-5.

The BHSAAs have been grouped in Pool A with a select side from the southeast – National Athletic Village Selects – Maryland Exiles, and Utah Rugby Academy. Defending tournament champion British Columbia is in Pool D.

"There's no doubt the boys will be excited to perform and achieve as a team," Thompson said. "A captain has not been named yet but we have experience and a point to prove following last year's loss to BC in the Final."

Boys Elite 7s Pools:

A: HS All Americans, Utah Rugby Academy, Maryland Exiles, National Athletic Village

B: Atavus All-Stars, USA South Panthers, Rhino Rugby Academy 1, Coastal Dragons

C: Atlantis, Washington Loggers, Upright Rugby Rogues, Rhino Rugby Academy 2

D: British Columbia Elite, Utah Cannibals, Eagle Impact Rugby Academy, Tribe

 

Schedule for Friday

800 Atavus All-Stars v Rhino Rugby Academy 1

820 USA South Panthers v Coastal Dragons

840 Atlantis v Upright Rugby Rogues

900 Washington Loggers v Rhino Rugby Academy 2

920 HSAA 1 v Maryland Exiles

940 Utah Rugby Academy v Nat'l Athletic Village Selects

1000 BCEY 7's v Eagle Impact Rugby Academy

1020 Utah Cannibals v Tribe

1040 Atavus All-Stars v Coastal Dragons

1100 USA South Panthers v Rhino Rugby Academy 1

1120 Atlantis v Rhino Rugby Academy 2

1140 Washington Loggers v Upright Rugby Rogues

1200 HSAA 1 v Nat'l Athletic Village Selects

1220 Utah Rugby Academy v Maryland Exiles 1240 BCEY 7's v Tribe

100 Utah Cannibals v Eagle Impact Rugby Academy

120 Atavus All-Stars v USA South Panthers

140 Rhino Rugby Academy 1 v Coastal Dragons

200 Atlantis v Washington Loggers

220 Upright Rugby Rogues v Rhino Rugby Academy 2

240 HSAA 1 v Utah Rugby Academy

300 Maryland Exiles v Nat'l Athletic Village Selects

320 BCEY 7's v Utah Cannibals

340 Eagle Impact Rugby Academy v Tribe

Saturday -  Knockout Rounds

Final in Sam Boys Stadium 1pm.

 

USA Rugby Boys High School All-Americans | 2016 Las Vegas Invitational

First Name	Last Name	Grade	Height	Weight	Club	State
Luke	Bienstock	12	6'1"	195	Greenwich High School	CT
William	Brennan	12	6'0"	205	Seattle Vikings	WA
Grant	Broeder	12	5'9"	183	Eureka High School	MO
Taylor	Damron	12	5'11"	170	Back Bay Sharks	CA
Ruben	de Haas	11	5'11"	180	Little Rock Junior Stormers	AR
Christian	Dyer	12	6'2"	195	Jesuit High School of Sacramento	CA
Leki	Fotu	12	6'6"	250	Herriman High School	UT
Mikaele	Kruse	12	6'1"	187	Bullard High School	CA
Patrick	Madden	11	5'11"	185	Aztec Warriors	CA
Sim	Mander	12	6'1"	200	St. Paul's School	England
Jack	Miller	12	6'1"	191	Brookline High School	MA
Soh	Nakayama	12	5'9"	142	Greenwich High School	CT
Noah	Niumataiwalu	12	5'9"	155	Archmere Academy	DE
Bronson	Teles	12	6'2"	208	Katy Barbarians	TX
Tomasi	Tonga	12	6'0"	205	Herriman High School	UT
Marcos	Young	11	5'11"	165	Key Biscayne Rats	FL