With just 100 days to go until Rugby World Cup Japan 2019, the USA Men’s Eagles have named their preliminary 50-man training squad which includes 40 players who will assemble next week in preparation for the Pacific Nations Cup.

The preliminary training squad comprises a pool of players who will be considered for the final 31-man roster traveling to Japan in mid-September. Over the next several months, Head Coach Gary Gold and staff will use the upcoming camp in Colorado and Pacific Nations Cup (PNC) to make final selections.

Of the 50 players chosen, three are uncapped including Houston SaberCats’ Jamason Fa’anana Shultz, Seattle Seawolves’ Riekert Hattingh and Rugby United New York’s Ross Deacon.

Long-time Eagles Mike Petri, Lou Stanfill, Thretton Palamo and Ben Cima all have a chance to appear in the final World Cup squad having not played with the Men’s National Team in some time. Mikey Sosene-Feagai also joins the preliminary squad after earning four caps with the Eagles in 2016.

Similarly, three players from the USA Men’s Sevens who recently qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are named, including Eagles Sevens Captain Madison Hughes, Martin Iosefo and Ben Pinkelman.

General Manager of the Men’s National Team 15s Dave Hodges said: “We’re really looking forward to working with this group of men over the next several months as our staff make final preparations for Rugby World Cup. As Japan 2019 is set to be one of the most exciting and successful rugby events to do date, we as a program are heavily focused on improving upon our past World Cup performances, as a representation of the growth of rugby in the United States.

“While the weeks and months to follow will be filled with tireless work, I’m confident that our coaches and staff will prepare these men not only for the Rugby World Cup, but four crucial matchups ahead of that in the Pacific Nations Cup and our final test match with Canada in Vancouver.”

The U.S. Men’s National Team 15s will assemble next week in Colorado as the final stretch to Rugby World Cup begins. Beginning with the Pacific Nations Cup, the USA will face rival-Canada at Infinity Park in Glendale on July 27, followed by Samoa and Japan in Fiji on August 3 and 10, respectively.

One final test match between the U.S. and Canada will take place at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver on September 7. The Eagles will then head to Japan to face England, France, Argentina and Tonga in Pool C at Rugby World Cup 2019.

For tickets to see the Men’s Eagles face Canada in Glendale and Vancouver, visit usarugby.org/tickets.

For tickets to what promises to be the most popular Rugby World Cup to date and a full schedule, visit rugbyworldcup.com.

USA MEN’S EAGLES PRELIMINARY TRAINING SQUAD

RUGBY WORLD CUP JAPAN 2019

PLAYER NAME POSITION CLUB CAPS NOTES David Ainuu Prop Toulouse (FRA) 5 Malon Al Jiboori Flanker Glendale Raptors 2 Nate Augspurger Scrumhalf / Wing San Diego Legion 21 Marcel Brache Wing Western Force (AUS) 16 Nate Brakeley Lock Rugby United New York 18 Bryce Campbell Center London Irish (ENG) 25 Ben Cima Flyhalf Seattle Seawolves 10 Won’t assemble for PNC at this stage Nick Civetta Lock Doncaster Knights (ENG) 22 Shaun Davies Scrumhalf Glendale Raptors 22 Ross Deacon No. 8 Rugby United New York – Won’t assemble for PNC at this stage Ruben de Haas Scrumhalf Free State Cheetahs 11 Cam Dolan No. 8 NOLA Gold 44 Dylan Fawsitt Hooker Rugby United New York 8 Mikey Sosene-Feagai Hooker Auckland (NZL) 4 Eric Fry Prop Vannes (FRA) 44 Hanco Germishuys Flanker Glendale Raptors 15 Riekert Hattingh No. 8 Seattle Seawolves Won’t assemble for PNC at this stage James Hilterbrand Hooker Manly Marlins (AUS) 18 Will Hooley Fullback Bedford Blues (ENG) 8 Madison Hughes Fullback USA Sevens 3 Martin Iosefo Center USA Sevens 3 Olive Kilifi Prop Seattle Seawolves 26 Tony Lamborn Flanker Melbourne Rebels (AUS) 18 Titi Lamositele Prop Saracens (ENG) 27 Ben Landry Lock/Flanker Ealing Trailfinders (ENG) 18 Paul Lasike Center Harlequins (ENG) 13 AJ MacGinty Flyhalf Sale Sharks (ENG) 21 Will Magie Flyhalf Glendale Raptors 23 Siaosi Mahoni Lock San Diego Legion 2 Won’t assemble for PNC at this stage Samu Manoa Lock Seattle Seawolves 22 Ryan Matyas Wing San Diego Legion 12 Won’t assemble for PNC at this stage Tim Maupin Wing NOLA Gold 9 Won’t assemble for PNC at this stage Gannon Moore Wing Utah Warriors 3 Paul Mullen Prop Houston SaberCats 10 Thretton Palamo Center Houston SaberCats 17 Greg Peterson Lock Newcastle Falcons (ENG) 22 Mike Petri Scrumhalf Rugby United New York 57 Won’t assemble for PNC at this stage Kapeli Pifeleti Hooker San Diego Legion 2 Ben Pinkelman Flanker USA Sevens – John Quill Flanker Rugby United New York 33 Paddy Ryan Prop Rugby United New York 4 Blaine Scully Wing Unattached 46 Jamason Fa’anana Shultz Flanker Houston SaberCats – Lou Stanfill Lock San Diego Legion 56 Won’t assemble for PNC at this stage Tevita Tameilau Lock / Back row Glasgow Warriors (SCO) 15 Won’t assemble for PNC at this stage Joe Taufete’e Hooker Worcester Warriors (ENG) 22 Mike Te’o Wing San Diego Legion 23 Dino Waldren Prop San Diego Legion 19 Won’t assemble for PNC at this stage Chance Wenglewski Prop Rugby ATL 3 Psalm Wooching Flanker San Diego Legion 4

USA MEN’S EAGLES STAFF

General Manager | Dave Hodges

Head Coach | Gary Gold

Assistant Coach, Attack | Greg McWilliams

Assistant Coach, Set Piece | Shawn Pittman

Assistant Coach, Defense | Jaque Fourie

Strength & Conditioning Coach | Huw Bevan

Performance Analyst | Jimmy Harrison

Assistant S&C and Analyst | Tom Kindley

Team Doctor | Mark Sakr

Team Doctor | Sam Akhavan

Head Athletic Trainer | Kevin Ng

Athletic Trainer | Kristen Douhan

Massage Therapist | Daliah Hurwitz

Team Manager | Chris Hanson

Assistant Team Manager | Mark Drown

USA MEN’S EAGLES 2019 SCHEDULE

*All times local

Pacific Nations Cup

vs Canada

Sat, July 27 | 6 PM MT

Infinity Park, Glendale, CO

Purchase Tickets

vs Samoa

Fri, Aug 2 | 10:30 PM ET

Anz Stadium, Suva, Fiji

vs Japan

Sat, Aug 10 | 12:35 AM ET

Anz Stadium, Suva, Fiji

Rugby World Cup Warm-up

vs Canada

September 7 | 7 PM PT

B.C. Place Stadium, Vancouver, B.C.

Purchase Tickets

Rugby World Cup Japan

Broadcast on NBC Networks

vs England

September 26 | 6:45 AM ET

Kobe Misaki Stadium

vs France

October 2 | 3:45 AM ET

Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium

vs Argentina

October 9 | 12:45 AM ET

Kumagaya Rugby Stadium

vs Tonga

October 13 | 1:45 AM ET

Hanazono Rugby Stadium

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