Men’s Eagles longlist named for 2026 test season

Scott Lawrence has named a 55-man Men’s Eagles longlist to prepare for the 2026 test season. An additional six players are identified as currently unavailable. The USA will take on Portugal, Zimbabwe, and Spain in July as part of the new World Rugby Nations Cup. A reduced squad will be named ahead of the summer series, with a long-term eye cast towards the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

There are 16 uncapped names on the list. Most have been part of previous Eagles training camps. 24-year-old France-based outside back Perry Mayo is the only new player who plies his trade overseas. Anthem scrumhalves Zion Going and Ishy Safodien are included for the first time, along with former NFLer Cassh Maluia. In-form Old Glory winger John Rizzo is a bolter. The 27-year-old was largely used as a reserve in Major League Rugby in previous years.

Rizzo’s clubmate Paul Mullen returns to contention after last year stepping away from test rugby. The 34-year-old tighthead prop is now looking to add to his 39 caps, filling a gap left by the unexpected retirement of Pono Davis at just 28 years old. Chicago loosehead prop Faka’osi Pifeleti earns a recall having won his only test cap as a replacement against New Zealand in October of 2021.

Toulouse prop David Ainu’u and Bristol flyhalf AJ MacGinty are named on the injured list. The latter is set for an imminent return from a long-term Achilles injury. Ainu’u pulled out of the most recent Toulouse match with ‘illness’ and his future in a USA shirt remains unclear, having last played for the Eagles in July of 2024. Provence lock Renger van Eerten, who won a solitary cap that same month, does not appear to be in the USA’s plans moving forward.

Rufus McLean is also currently sidelined. The former Scotland international has missed the entirety of the MLR season and is set to join Jack Iscaro at Stade Français in the coming months. There is no sign of veteran outside back Toby Fricker, who last appeared for Bristol in November.

 

LOOSEHEAD PROP
Jack Iscaro (Stade Français, FR) 18 caps
Ezekiel Lindenmuth (Seattle Seawolves) 7 caps
Ma’ake Muti (California Legion) uncapped
Faka’osi Pifeleti (Chicago Hounds) 1 cap
Payton Telea-Ilalio (Anthem RC) 7 caps

HOOKER
Kaleb Geiger (New England Free Jacks) 10 caps
Shilo Klein (Zebre Parma, IT) 6 caps
Sean McNulty (Seattle Seawolves) 6 caps
Kapeli Pifeleti (Provence, FR) 23 caps

TIGHTHEAD PROP
Tonga Kofe (California Legion) 6 caps
Alex Maughan (Anthem RC) 8 caps
Paul Mullen (Old Glory DC) 39 caps
Maliu Niuafe (New England Free Jacks) 3 caps
Mason Pedersen (Seattle Seawolves) uncapped

LOCK
Jason Damm (California Legion) 15 caps
Nathan Den Hoedt (Chicago Hounds) uncapped
Brandon Harvey (Chicago Hounds) 1 cap
Rhyno Herbst (Seattle Seawolves) uncapped
Tevita Naqali (Old Glory DC) 9 caps
Rick Rose (Old Glory DC) uncapped
Will Sherman (Anthem RC) uncapped

LOCK/FLANKER
Tomás Casares (Chicago Hounds) 3 caps
Sam Golla (Anthem RC) 8 caps
Vili Helu (Kurita Water Gush, JP) 23 caps
Marno Redelinghuys (Seattle Seawolves) 9 caps

FLANKER
Makeen Alikhan (Anthem RC) 7 caps
Cory Daniel (Old Glory DC) 17 caps
Aidan King (Old Glory DC) uncapped
Paddy Ryan (Seattle Seawolves) 19 caps
Lance Williams (California Legion) uncapped

NUMBER EIGHT
Benjamín Bonasso (Old Glory DC) 11 caps
Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz (Narbonne, FR) 16 caps
Nafi Ma’afu (Montauban, FR) 2 caps

SCRUMHALF
Michael Baska (Chicago Hounds) 6 caps
Ruben de Haas (Chicago Hounds) 44 caps
Zion Going (Anthem RC) uncapped
Ethan McVeigh (New England Free Jacks) 7 caps
Ishy Safodien (Anthem RC) uncapped

FLYHALF
Luke Carty (Anthem RC) 25 caps
Chris Hilsenbeck (Chicago Hounds) 5 caps
Rand Santos (Cal Golden Bears) 2 caps

MIDFIELD
Dom Besag (St. Mary’s Gaels) 18 caps
Tavite Lopeti (Chicago Hounds) 26 caps
Cassh Maluia (California Legion) uncapped
Tom Pittman (Anthem RC) 3 caps

UTILITY BACK
Julian Roberts (Anthem RC) uncapped
Erich Storti (Anthem RC) 9 caps

WING
Joe Mano (California Legion) 2 caps
Conner Mooneyham (Anthem RC) 7 caps
Mark O’Keeffe (Chicago Hounds) 4 caps
John Rizzo (Old Glory DC) uncapped
Peyton Wall (Chicago Hounds) uncapped

FULLBACK
Steffan Crimp (California Legion) uncapped
Perry Mayo (Nevers, FR) uncapped
Mitch Wilson (New England Free Jacks) 19 caps

 

INJURED/UNAVAILABLE
David Ainu’u (PR, Toulouse, FR) 23 caps
Christian Poidevin (FL, California Legion) 6 caps
AJ MacGinty (FH, Bristol Bears, UK) 43 caps
Ryan James (WI, California Legion) 1 cap
Oscar Treacy (WI, California Legion) uncapped
Rufus McLean (WI/FB, Seattle Seawolves) 6 caps