USA development squad confirmed for Uruguay tour

A 26-man USA roster will travel to Montevideo for upcoming matches against development sides from Uruguay and Argentina. The team will play under the ‘Falcons’ banner, though the same title is also being used for a separate group that is competing in South Africa at the same time.

Chris Pittman will act as Head Coach, having left the Utah Warriors halfway through the 2022 Major League Rugby season. Assisting him will be former Samoa international Elvis Seveali’i and USA High Performance Pathway manager Brendan Keane.

Five players who were part of last years USA Selects for the Americas Pacific Challenge will make the trip south this year. That includes Alex Lopeti, Mike Matarazzo, Karl Keane, Shane Barry, and Owen Sheehy. Jake Turnbull and Mason Pedersen have previously played for the Selects. USA Rugby has now formally switched the name of their second-senior side to the Falcons.

There are just two players with senior international experience included, San Diego prop Chris Baumann and ATL eightman Jason Damm. Baumann is the oldest player in the squad at 35 years old and won the last of his 25 caps in 2018. Damm debuted for the Eagles in July’s World Cup qualifier series against Chile.

MLR provides the bulk of the squad with 15 players appearing during the 2022 campaign. KoiKoi Nelligan, Collin Grosse, and Shane Barry were recently selected in the Collegiate Draft. Ethan McVeigh previously lined up for the San Diego Legion, and Mika Felix was on Austin’s roster this year but did not see the field during the regular season.

The American Raptors development program is also well-represented. In addition to McVeigh, the team supplies Tavius Sykora-Matthess, Ronan Murphy, and Line Latu. Murphy played for Austin during the MLR season. The Raptors are set to join a revamped SLAR competition in 2023.

Both matches will be played at the Estadio Charrúa. The first match is on Thursday, October 13th against the Uruguay XV, with the Argentina XV following next Tuesday, October 18th. Streaming details are yet to be confirmed by the host union.

 

LOOSEHEAD PROP
Lincoln Sii (Rugby ATL)
Jake Turnbull (Austin Gilgronis)

HOOKER
Alex Lopeti (NOLA Gold)
KoiKoi Nelligan (Army West Point / San Diego Legion)

TIGHTHEAD PROP
Chris Baumann (San Diego Legion)
Mika Felix (Sydenham, NZ / Austin Gilgronis)
Mason Pedersen (Austin Gilgronis)

SECOND ROW
Jonah Dietenberger (Utah Warriors)
Mike Matarazzo (Dallas Jackals)
Tavius Sykora-Matthess (American Raptors)

BACK ROW
Jason Damm (Rugby ATL)
Collin Grosse (Army West Point / Old Glory DC)
Ronan Murphy (Austin Gilgronis / American Raptors)
Devin Short (NOLA Gold)

SCRUMHALF
Karl Keane (Saint Mary’s Gaels)
John LeFevre (Old Glory DC)
Ethan McVeigh (American Raptors)

FLYHALF
Shane Barry (UCLA / Seattle Seawolves)
Line Latu (American Raptors)

MIDFIELD
Dom Iacovino (San Diego Legion)
Aaron Matthews (NOLA Gold)
Patrick Medina (Hartpury, UK)

OUTSIDE BACKS
Zach Bastres (New England Free Jacks)
Willis Goodwin (Chicago Lions)
Owen Sheehy (Old Glory DC)
Pita Vi (Sacramento RFC)

 

FIXTURES
10/13 – 19:40 local / 18:40 ET / 15:40 PT – vs Uruguay XV
10/18 – 19:40 local / 18:40 ET / 15:40 PT – vs Argentina XV