The USA Men’s Falcons Sevens squad has been selected to take part in the two-part EAAST 7’s series competing in Cognac and Haguenau, France, from May 31 to June 1 and June 7 & 8 respectively, providing invaluable international exposure and competition for the extended senior national team player pool.
The USA Falcons, the developmental platform for emerging USA Eagles, will feature 13 of the nation's top sevens prospects. This includes nine athletes who recently played together for the USA U23 team at Rugbytown 7s, alongside four players from the USA Sevens Residency program.
The squad assembled in Chula Vista for a week-long camp at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center prior to their departure. EAAST, which was inspired by former All Blacks 7's player Teddy Stanaway, stands for "Endure, Advance, Achieve, Succeed, Toa"—a legacy left from a New Zealand Māori pioneer battalion in France after WWI. The USA Falcons will embrace the challenge with a slate of matches against other nations' development teams, including top tiered New Zealand, Australia, and the host nation, France.
Speaking on the exciting prospects, Head Coach, Ben Pinkleman said, "The level of rugby IQ is high and the ability of this group to pick up new concepts and adapt them seamlessly into their game is a testament to all the hard work being done in the grassroots game across the country,"
"In camp, the resident players have shown real growth as leaders, integrating the new players into the environment and supporting their growth as players and as people. This is an exciting opportunity to compete against some of the best Sevens development teams in the world. Players will be able to compete in EAAST and then go raise the standards of their home clubs and teams as they compete for a spot at Club 7s Nationals this summer.”
The Falcons' participation in the EAAST 7s Series underscores USA Rugby's dedication to nurturing emerging rugby talent. This provides athletes with crucial international experience and a platform to showcase their abilities to national coaches for potential inclusion in the USA Sevens program.
Zack Test, the newly appointed Head Coach for the USA Men's Sevens program, will be on hand in France as Head Coach for the USA Women’s Falcons Sevens. This will create a strengthened opportunity to connect with and evaluate players firsthand as he prepares to assume his responsibilities with the Men's Sevens Program later this year.
Fixtures and results for the tournament will be updated on the organizers' social media channels @EAAST7s. Please note that there will be no live stream available and match schedules have yet to be confirmed.
| Name | Club |
|---|---|
| Jake Broselle | USA Sevens |
| Jackson Evarts | College of Holy Cross |
| Aaron Faison | LIfe University |
| Porter Goodrum | USA Sevens |
| Nathan Gould | Army West Point |
| Paul Habeeb | University of San Diego |
| Donovan Law | Life University |
| John LeFevre | DC Old Glory |
| Peter Sio Jr. | USA Sevens |
| Oscar Treacy | Central Washington University |
| Tucker Trickey | Socal Griffins |
| Nahuel Wingord | Life University |
| Uluamu Niutupuivaha | USA Sevens |
Ben Pinkelman | Head Coach
Colton Cariaga | Assistant Coach
Delaney Cassidy | Athletic Trainer
Maria Adams | Manager
