The USA Men’s Eagles will meet Brazil on Saturday to kick off the Vila International Rugby Cup in Alicante, Spain. Interim Head Coach Scott Lawrence’s match day 23 is another valuable testament to bringing in a new generation of Eagles while instilling the knowledge and experience of veteran players.
Nate Brakeley captains the squad for the first time in his 32 cap career, leading the Eagles as they wrap up their 2023 season. Vice Captain Nate Augspurger will step out for his 40th tournament.
Brakeley on being captain for the first time: "It is a massive honor to join the list of men who have led the Eagles previously. This team has worked tremendously hard to build an American identity to the way we play rugby, and we aim to put in a performance that can inspire Eagles past, present, and future."
Alex Maughanwas recently called up to join the team in Spain and finds himself on the starting forward pack. This will be the first match for Maughan since earning his Eagles debut cap at the Americas Rugby Championship against Uruguay in 2017.
Joe Mano, the Utah Warriors standout with Samoa Sevens experience has recently joined the United States through birthright transfer and will make his test match debut as a starter. Mano played in the USA jersey against Stade Toulousain in Salt Lake City in September. Coming off the bench, David Ainu’u returns to the Eagles jersey for the first time this year after playing with Stade Toulousain in the September match.
The Eagles have a strong opponent in Brazil, who travel to Spain following a three-game win streak to claim the 2023 South America Rugby 4 Nations title. Known for their strong forward pack, Brazil will be meeting the Eagles for the first time since 2019.
Interim Head Coach Scott Lawrence on the match day 23 and time in Spain:
“We’ve had two competitive weeks here in Spain together and we believe we’ve picked a team that fits the game plan in place for Brazil. We’ve been apart for a few weeks, so bringing the team cohesion back while improving the relationships amongst everyone on tour has been the main focus. Expect to see the Eagles play with the same energy, positivity, and enthusiasm that is now being encoded as an integral part of the Eagle DNA.”
| Name | Club | Caps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jack Iscaro | Old Glory DC | 5 |
| 2. Dylan Fawsitt | New York Ironworkers | 25 |
| 3. Alex Maughan | MLR (Los Angeles) | 1 |
| 4. Nate Brakeley (C) | New York Ironworkers | 32 |
| 5. Cam Dolan | NOLA Gold | 66 |
| 6. Sam Golla | Dallas Jackals | 3 |
| 7. Paddy Ryan | Coventry (UK) | 3 |
| 8. Luke White | Chicago Hounds | 3 |
| 9. Nick McCarthy | Chicago Hounds | 3 |
| 10. Luke Carty | Chicago Hounds | 14 |
| 11. Nate Augspurger (VC) | San Diego Legion | 39 |
| 12. Tommaso Boni | Zebre (ITA) | 2 |
| 13. Tavite Lopeti | Seattle Seawolves | 10 |
| 14. Joseph Mano | Utah Warriors | Debut |
| 15. Chris Mattina | Chicago Hounds | 3 |
| 16. Peter Malcolm | Seattle Seawolves | 13 |
| 17. Jake Turnbull | Seattle Seawolves | 3 |
| 18. David Ainu’u | Toulouse (FRA) | 20 |
| 19. Viliami Helu | San Diego Legion | 4 |
| 20. Thomas Tu’avao | Utah Warriors | 3 |
| 21. Michael Baska | Chicago Hounds | 3 |
| 22. Dominic Besag | St. Mary’s College | 1 |
| 23. Lauina Futi | Seattle Seawolves | 2 |
Scott Lawrence | Head Coach
Alama Ieremia | Assistant Coach - Attack
Nick Easter | Assistant Coach - Forwards and Defense
Blake Bradford | Assistant Coach - Scrum
Elvis Seveali’i | Assistant Coach - Individual Skills Development
Alex Ross | Head of Athlete Performance
Jimmy Harrison | Head Analyst
Kristen Douhan | Head Physiotherapist
Jenn Roney | Athletic Trainer
Daliah Hurwitz | Sports Massage Therapist
Matt Schmitz | Team Doctor
Oscar Alvarez | Team Manager
10:00AM ET - Match 1 - USA v Brazil
2:00PM ET - Match 2 - Spain v Canada
10:00AM ET - Loser Match 1 v Loser Match 2 (Third place play-off)
2:00PM ET - Winner Match 1 v Winner Match 2 (Final)
