MONTEVIDEO, URU.- Men’s Selects’ Head Coach Scott Lawrence has named his matchday 23 to face Tonga A this Saturday at 12:30 PM ET in the opening match of the Americas Pacific Challenge (APC) 2018, LIVE on FloRugby.

The full team will consist of 11 capped Men’s Eagles, 10 returners from the 2017 tournament, three 2018 First Team Men’s Collegiate All-Americans and three recent collegiate or professional rugby champions.

The developmental tournament will feature six teams all gunning heavily to expose new waves of players to international competition ahead of Rugby World Cup Japan 2019. With less than one year until the World Cup and just weeks from final selections for the November Internationals, athletes from all sides will be heavily focused on delivering standout performances.

“We’ve had a focused few days together and it’s been encouraging to see the men self-organize. We know tomorrow’s match with Tonga A will be well-contested and are looking forward to putting the week’s hard work into action,” said Head Coach Scott Lawrence.

Leading the team as Captain is San Diego Legion’s Conor Kearns who will make his first-ever appearance with the Men’s Selects. Kearns is no stranger to the USA Rugby pathway having earned All-American honors at both the Junior and Collegiate levels in 2013 and 2016, respectively. His experience competing at the professional level with Major League Rugby coupled with his international appearances from previous All-American tours will undoubtedly be a benefit to the entire playing group.

Kearns is joined by 2018 Collegiate All-Americans Chance Wenglewski, Alex Maughan and Mitch Wilson. Maughan and Wilson both own 2018 D1A National Championships with Life University and played in the 2017 tournament.

Capped Eagle Psalm Wooching will feature on Saturday after last joining the Men’s National Team for the Americas Rugby Championship 2018. Wooching’s APC appearance is a valuable stepping stone for his return to the senior international stage, having spent the last several months recovering from injury.

Men’s Eagle Angus Mclellan also joins the Selects after Olive Kilifi was held out of consideration due to injury. Maclellan appeared at both the 2016 and 2017 iterations of the APC.

The Men’s Selects finished last year’s tournament in second-place while Tonga A came in third. After Saturday, the Selects will face Uruguay XV on Oct. 10 before closing out the Americas Pacific Challenge 2018 with reigning champion Argentina XV on Oct. 14. All three games will kickoff at 12:30 PM ET and be streamed LIVE on FloRugby.

Men’s Selects Starting Roster

Player Name Position Current Club Notes 1. Chance Wenglewski Prop Lindenwood University • 2018 First Team Collegiate All-American

• 2017 Americas Pacific Challenge 2. Alex Maughan Hooker Life University • 2018 First Team Collegiate All-American

• 2018 D1A National Champion

• Capped Men’s Eagle

• 2017 Americas Pacific Challenge 3. John Hayden Prop Unattached – 4. Nate Brakeley Lock New York Athletic/ Rugby United New York • Capped Men’s Eagle 5. Taylor Krumrei Lock Seattle Seawolves • 2018 Major League Rugby Champion 6. Psalm Wooching Flanker Unattached • Capped Men’s Eagle

• 2017 Americas Pacific Challenge 7. Hanco Germishuys Flanker Austin Elite • Capped Men’s Eagle 8. Brendan Daly No. 8 San Francisco Golden Gate • Capped Men’s Eagle

• 2017 Americas Pacific Challenge 9. Nick Boyer Scrumhalf San Diego Legion • Has appeared on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 10. Conor Kearns (C) Flyhalf San Diego Legion – 11. Mika Kruse Wing Glendale Raptors – 12. Anthony Salaber Center San Diego Legion – 13. Dylan Audsley Center San Diego Legion • Capped Men’s Eagle 14. Tim Maupin Wing NOLA Gold • Capped Men’s Eagle

• 2017 Americas Pacific Challenge 15. Mitch Wilson Fullback Life University • 2018 First Team Collegiate All-American

• 2018 D1A National Champion

• 2017 Americas Pacific Challenge

Men’s Selects Reserves

Player Position Current Club Notes 16. Pat O’Toole Reserve San Diego Legion – 17. Kelepi Fifita Reserve Glendale Raptors • 2017 America’s Pacific Challenge 18. Angus Mclellan Reserve Utah Warriors • Capped Men’s Eagle

• 2017 Americas Pacific Challenge 19. Matt Jensen Reserve Utah Warriors • Capped Men’s Eagle

• 2017 Americas Pacific Challenge 20. Vili Toluta’u Reserve Seattle Seawolves • 2018 Major League Rugby Champion 21. Devereaux Ferris Reserve Life West Gladiators – 22. JP Eloff Reserve NOLA Gold • Capped Men’s Eagle

• 2017 Americas Pacific Challenge 23. Ryan Matyas Reserve San Diego Legion • Capped Men’s Eagle

USA Men’s Selects Staff

Head Coach | Scott Lawrence

Assistant Coach | David Williams

Assistant Coach | Scott Murray

Strength & Conditioning Coach | Huw Bevan

Performance Analyst | Jimmy Harrison

Team Doctor | Marc Kowalsky

Head Athletic Trainer | Kevin Ng

Assistant Athletic Trainer | Santiago Aguirre

Team Manager & Operations | Kevin McCorry II

Americas Pacific Challenge 2018 Schedule

Montevideo, Uruguay

vs Tonga A

Sat, Oct. 6 – 12:30 PM ET

vs Uruguay XV

Wed, Oct. 10 – 12:30 PM ET

vs Argentina XV

Sun, Oct. 14 – 12:30 PM ET

*Schedule subject to change; all matches LIVE on FloRugby.