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USA Roster for Final Qualifier Series is Named

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USA Roster for Final Qualifier Series is Named

Mitch Wilson offloads to Tavite Lopeti for the Collegiate All Americans in 2019. Lopeti has been capped seven times; Wilson could get his first cap this Final Qualification Tournament. In this play Lopeti would go on to score. David Barpal photo.

USA Men's 15s Head Coach Gary Gold has named his squad for the Final Qualifier Tournament in Dubai.

The Eagles will play Hong Kong, Kenya, and Portugal as part of a round-robin series November 6-18. The winner gets the last spot at the Rugby World Cup 2023 in France and will join Wales, Australia, Fiji and Georgia in Pool C. The first game, against Kenya, kicks off Sunday, November 6 at 7AM ET live on The Rugby Network.

Of the 30 players on the roster, 24 arrived from a multi-week warmup period in South Africa that included two exhibition matches against the Toyota Cheetahs and Airlink Pumas.

Gold has said there's a good chance that those players, and not the overseas-based players, would be looked at to start that first game in the interests of continuity and unity.

GRR Talks to Gary Gold About Qualifier Preparation

“We had some really good moments in South Africa, both from our veterans and a few of the up-and-coming players," said Gold. "Defense is improving and we’re trying to be more of a threat with the ball in hand. Day-in and day-out training for the last few weeks has also been a positive element, as the group continues to realign for the international stage. This extended assembly time has been fundamental for both the players and coaching staff, as we set ourselves up for the best opportunities ahead of Dubai.”

New and Old Faces

Veterans Joe Taufete'e and Nick Civetta will miss the series in Dubai due to injuries, opening up more spots for others. Eight players will have a chance to earn their first USA cap. They are: former Delaware and Xavier HS standout Chris Mattina, who has been capped in 7s; Old Glory crossover athlete (wrestling and football) Cory Daniel, former Cal and Gonzaga HS standout Jack Iscaro (also Old Glory); longtime OMBAC star and now Houston Sabercat Keni Nasoqeqe; former Life University All American and current New England Free Jack Mitch Wilson; Nate Sylvia, an All American at Cal Poly and now with the San Diego Legion; Ryan Rees, who was a standout at Westlake HS and a Scholz Award finalist at Life University before joining Rugby ATL; and another Scholz candidate in Vili Helu (Rugby ATL), who was a star for the Danville Oaks as a high-schooler and for Saint Mary's as a collegian.

All of these players played their way onto the squad this fall. 

Joining the roster from overseas clubs are flyhalf AJ MacGinty, prop David Ainu'u, lock Greg Petersen, hooker Kapeli Pifeleti, hooker Mikey Sosene-Feagai, and scrumhalf Ruben de Haas.

USA Roster for Final Qualification Tournament
FIRST NAME TEAM CAPS
AJ MacGinty Bristol Bears (UK) 32
Benjamin Bonasso Rugby New York 4
Bryce Campbell MLR 41
Cam Dolan NOLA Gold 60
CC Mahoni Houston SaberCats 7
Chance Wenglewski Rugby New York 10
Chris Mattina MLR Yet to debut
Christian Dyer Houston SaberCats 8
Cory Daniel Old Glory DC Yet to debut
David Ainu'u Toulouse (FRA) 17
Dylan Fawsitt Rugby New York 20
Faka'osi Pifeleti MLR 1
Greg Peterson Newcastle (UK) 36
Jack Iscaro Old Glory DC Yet to debut
Jamason Fa'anana-Schultz Old Glory DC 6
Kapeli Pifeleti Saracens (UK) 8
Keni Nasoqeqe Houston SaberCats Yet to debut
Luke Carty MLR 8
Marcel Brache MLR 30
Mikey Sosene-Feagai Agen (FRA) 7
Mitch Wilson New England Free Jacks Yet to debut
Moni Tonga’uiha NOLA Gold 3
Nate Augspurger San Diego Legion 33
Nathan Sylvia San Diego Legion Yet to debut
Paul Lasike Utah Warriors 19
Paul Mullen Utah Warriors 27
Ruben De Haas Saracens (UK) 25
Ryan Rees Rugby ATL Yet to debut
Tavite Lopeti Seattle Seawolves 7
Viliami Helu Rugby ATL Yet to debut