The USA Men's Eagles opened their 2025 season with a 36-17 victory over Belgium in their first-ever Test between the two nations.
The clash took place at the American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, marking a successful beginning to a three-week international Match Series for the Eagles.
Under the leadership of Head Coach Scott Lawrence, the Eagles took to the pitch with new additions to the line up with 5 Eagles debuts seeing Tonga Kofe and Marno Redelinghuys named to the starting pack, and Tevita Naqali, Makeen Alikhan, and Chris Hilsenbeck coming on as impact. The match was also particularly significant for Captain Benjamin Bonasso, who lead the team for the first time, and winger Nate Augspurger, who earned his 50th cap for the USA Men's Eagles, a testament to his crucial contribution on the pitch.
Lawrence commented, “We were happy with the functioning of our set piece. We’ll go back and review some of the scrum penalties, but genuinely we nailed the set piece going into this game and that’s a plus. We’ve got some work to do on our kick game and in some of our decision-making around defense, but it’s the first week and will get better as these weeks go on.”
The match began with Belgium slotting in the first points with a penalty kick, taking an early 3-0 with 13 minutes gone on the clock. The USA looked to respond, but the Belgian defense applied significant pressure, forcing the Eagles to work hard for every inch.
A powerful carry by Jack Iscaro helped reset the USA's momentum, allowing the Eagles to camp out in Belgium's 22 and hit a series of pick-and-goes that brought them close to the try line, but a standing pass to AJ MacGinty momentarily put the US on the back foot. Despite winning a subsequent lineout, the Eagles unfortunately turned over possession.
The tide began to turn with the debut of Makeen Alikhan, who came on for Sam Golla. Within minutes of the restart, Dominic Besag spotted a gap and found the line for the USA's first try. AJ MacGinty successfully converted, and the USA began to find their stride. The Eagles pressed close to the line again, but the resilient Belgian defensive line continued to force errors.
Nate Augspurger showcased his defensive prowess, reading the Belgian offense with attacking line speed and winning possession, though an offload didn't quite connect for the USA. Augspurger followed up with a clever chip and chase, gaining valuable meters for the Eagles. However, Belgium's momentum swung the Eagles back again. Finally, a crucial steal from Augspurger gave the Americans the advantage, leading to a line break from Shilo Klein, who passed outside to Viliami Helu who powered over the line, putting the US ahead at halftime.
The USA returned to the second half with pace. However, Belgium countered effectively in their 22, running wide around the USA line. A perfectly executed chip and chase by Belgium's #15, Matias Remue, outpaced the Eagles, allowing Belgium to cross the line and narrow the score.
Around the 50-minute mark, the Eagles unleashed a powerful ten-minute scoring spree. A great support line from Tavite Lopeti off Mitch Wilson saw the USA touch down, extending their lead. Debutant Makeen Alikhan then struck, touching down after some brilliant flow and passing from the Eagles. Cory Daniel sniped off a maul, crossing over the line to mark the third try in just ten minutes. Captain Ben Bonasso joined the try-scorers, finding a gap and getting his name on the board from a lineout play.
Matias Remue took some redemption for the Belgian side with great footwork, once again slithered through the USA line, allowing the Black Devils to cross over and bridge the scoreline slightly. Belgium found pace on this forward momentum, but the USA's buffer had ultimately sealed the victory. The USA closed out the match with a decisive 36-17 win in this first-ever meeting against Belgium.
The USA continue the Match Series next weekend again in North Carolina when they take on Spain, followed by England in a Double header with the USA Women’s Eagles who take on Fiji.
| 1. Jack Iscaro | Old Glory DC |
|---|---|
| 2. Shilo Klein | San Diego Legion |
| 3. Tonga Kofe* | Utah Warriors |
| 4. Marno Redelinghuys* | Houston SaberCats |
| 5. Sam Golla | Anthem Rugby Carolina |
| 6. Viliami Helu | San Diego Legion |
| 7. Cory Daniel | Old Glory DC |
| 8. Benjamin Bonasso (C) | Miami Sharks |
| 9. Ruben de Haas | NOLA Gold |
| 10. AJ MacGinty | Bristol Bears |
| 11. Nate Augspurger | Chicago Hounds |
| 12. Tavite Lopeti | San Diego Legion |
| 13. Dominic Besag | Saint Mary's College |
| 14. Toby Fricker | Anthem Rugby Carolina |
| 15. Mitch Wilson | Anthem Rugby Carolina |
| 16. Kapeli Pifeleti | Provence (FRA) |
| 17. Payton Telea | San Diego Legion |
| 18. Pono Davis | Houston SaberCats |
| 19. Tevita Naqali* | Old Glory DC |
| 20. Makeen Alikhan* | Anthem Rugby Carolina |
| 21. JP Smith | Seattle Seawolves |
| 22. Chris Hilsenbeck* | Chicago Hounds |
| 23. Erich Storti | Anthem Rugby Carolina |
*denotes international debut
Scott Lawrence | Head Coach
Alama leremia | Backs And Attack Coach
Nick Easter | Forwards and Defense
Rodolfo Broggi | Lead Performance Coach
Jimmy Harrison | Head of Analysis
Matoko Noudehou | Performance Coach
Blake Bradford | Scrum Coach
Steve Brett | Skills Coach
Michael Sheridan | Athletic Trainer
Jenn Roney | Assistant Athletic Trainer
Willie Berlanga | Sports Massage Therapist
Joe Powers | Team Doctor
David Hadfield | Performance Expert
Nick Colling | Team Manager
USA vs Belgium | 36-17
July 5 | American Legion Memorial Stadium | Charlotte, NC
Tries: Besag, Helu, Lopeti, Alikhan, Danie, Bonasso
Conv: MacGinty (3)
USA vs Spain | July 12, 7:30pm ET
American Legion Memorial Stadium | Charlotte, NC
USA vs England | July 19, 5:00pm ET
Audi Field | Washington DC
