SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The USA Men's 15s team gets ready to face Russia Saturday at Bonney Field, with some changes in the squad both forced and by choice.

Eric Fry returns to the Eagles with the hope of playing once more in his hometown. Fry was left off the original squad, with (if you read between the lines of various coaches' comments) the idea that maybe he was giving up too many penalties in the scrum. Well, the penalties remain, and Fry is back, but only as a day-camper.

The Eagles came into Sacramento somewhat shorthanded as Greg Peterson left last weekend's loss to Italy with an injury, Taku Ngwenya received a nasty head collision but is reportedly cleared to play this weekend. Andrew Durutalo is off to 7s training. So a few players were added, with three local forwards - Langilangi Haupeakui, John Quill, and Sione Sina - bolstering the group to train, if not to play. Sina was a football player who left Cal Football for Cal Rugby, and was a big, impressive presence for the Bears last year. He now plays Pro rugby.

(Clarification: Haupeakui, Quill, Sina, and Fry are in as day-campers and will not be considered for selection and are only in as camp add-ons for this week.)

"It's not ideal when you're doing team scenarios that we're short on numbers," Head Coach John Mitchell told Chad Wise of USA Rugby. "I asked [Sacramento Express Head Coach] Luke Gross which players have the potential for us to have a look and that we could use, and he kindly offered the players. We're in a city where there's a PRO team, so it's logical to work together and give people a taste of the culture. It helps our preparation, and secondly it allows us to get in front of the guys we actually have our eye on. PRO will be beneficial to Eagles preparation in the long run because it means you can select in-form players and players who, over time, will be in excellent condition."

Photos by David Barpal. Top left, Mike Te'o. Top right, Blaine Scully. Bottom left Thretton Palamo. Bottom right AJ MacGinty..

Quill has been capped before and it looked as if he might be done as an international. But the fractious, ball-hawking flanker is back, and is a good option in place of Durutalo. David Tameilau is back. He was left off the original squad because of questions about his fitness, but has been working hard for the San Francisco Rush pro team and could find a place at No. 8 (which would likely require a move for Cam Dolan to second row). All of them will have to battle Tony Lamborn, who came on as a replacement for Peterson, played very well, and scored a try.

Luke Hume joins the squad and could well be an option in place of Ngwenya. Seth Halliman is still in camp and Mike Te'o continues to show that he can play no matter where they put him and what they ask of him. 

While Durutalo goes to 7s camp, Nate Augspurger and Will Holder stay in Sacramento. Augspurger did fairly well in his 15s Eagle debut. He was a shade slow in his decision-making off the base of the ruck, but also produced a few big plays, including a steal off a loose ball and the chargedown that almost won the game. Augspurger will likely line up with AJ MacGinty once more. Holder had a good effort at fullback.

Russia lost to Canada 46-21 last week in Calgary (see highlights here). The USA lost to Italy last week 24-20 in San Jose (see full game here).