Summary:
USA Men’s Eagles to face Portugal on November 9 in Coimbra.
Three MLR stars making their international debuts: Shilo Klein, Tomas Casares, and Erich Storti.
Previous encounters include a tie and a loss for the Eagles against Portugal.
Head Coach Scott Lawrence emphasizes focus on team performance objectives.
Eagles Set for International Showdown
The USA Men’s Eagles are making their much-anticipated return to the international rugby scene on November 9. They will kick off a thrilling three-match tour against Portugal in the picturesque city of Coimbra, just north of Lisbon.
Rising Stars Debuting
This match will not only see the return of experienced players like Flyhalf AJ MacGinty, but also the debut of three promising talents from Major League Rugby (MLR): Shilo Klein from San Diego Legion, Tomas Casares of Miami Sharks, and Erich Storti, the first overall draft pick from Anthem Rugby Carolina. Klein will take the starting Hooker position, while Casares and Storti are poised to contribute from the bench. Casares was a late addition to the roster, stepping in for Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz.
Previous Encounters and Team Insights
This marks the third consecutive year the Eagles will face Portugal, with previous matches resulting in a tie and a loss for the USA. Ten players from the summer roster will reunite for this match, promising an exciting rematch against a well-matched Portuguese team.
Coach's Perspective
Head Coach Scott Lawrence emphasized the team's goal for this tour, stating, “Our goal for this tour is the same as it was in the Pacific Nations Cup—to compete and improve each week. This Saturday is our first chance to do that. We’ll consider what Portugal brings to the game, but our focus will remain on our own performance objectives.” He noted that Portugal recently concluded a cohesive Rugby World Cup campaign, making them a formidable opponent.
USA Eagles Lineup
Starting XV:
- Jack Iscaro - Old Glory DC - 10 caps
- Shilo Klein - San Diego Legion - Debut
- Alex Maughan - RFCLA - 6 caps
- Jason Damm - RFCLA - 6 caps
- Greg Peterson (C) - San Diego Legion - 48 caps
- Viliami Helu - San Diego Legion - 11 caps
- Cory Daniel - Old Glory DC - 7 caps
- Paddy Ryan - San Diego Legion - 11 caps
- Ruben de Haas - Cheetahs - 33 caps
- AJ MacGinty - Bristol Bears - 37 caps
- Nate Augspurger - Chicago Hounds - 46 caps
- Tavite Lopeti - Seattle Seawolves - 17 caps
- Dominic Besag - Saint Mary's College - 6 caps
- Conner Mooneyham - Anthem RC - 5 caps
- Mitch Wilson - Anthem RC - 11 caps
Replacements:
16. Kapeli Pifeleti - Saracens - 15 caps
17. Jake Turnbull - Anthem RC - 11 caps
18. Pono Davis - Houston SaberCats - 3 caps
19. Tomas Casares - Miami Sharks - Debut
20. Tesimoni Tonga'uiha - NOLA Gold - 9 caps
21. Ethan McVeigh - Old Glory DC - 2 caps
22. Erich Storti - Anthem RC - Debut
23. Luke Carty - Unattached - 21 caps
Join the action live on FloRugby as the Eagles aim to build momentum in the test arena!
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