GRR: National Teams
You could call it a meteoric rise, but like a lot of meteoric rises, it took a long time and a lot of effort.
Why did John Mitchell pick the players he picked? We tell you, and tell you what those guys bring to the table for Friday night's clash with the Maori All Blacks.
(All photos by David Barpal except the photos of Civetta and Campbell.)
After a strong season with the USA 7s team, Nate Augspurger had to swallow the bitter pill of not being chosen for the Olympic squad for Rio.
The USA and Maori All Blacks have named their lineups to face each other Friday in Chicago.
As has been the case for the last several years, the USA Men's National Team is populated by athletes from all kinds of backgrounds, but the good news is that home-grown players who played high school rugby in the USA are becoming the majority.
If the 38 players who will participate in the Eagles games (or at least the preparation) this November, here's how they break down: