U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Gary Gold has named the Eagle match-day 23 to face the New Zealand Maori All Blacks as part of The Rugby Weekend this Saturday, November 3 at Soldier Field at 6 PM CT and streamed LIVE on FloRugby.

The Eagles match will be the final of three matches scheduled for The Rugby Weekend. The first match is at Noon with the USA Women’s Eagles facing the Black Ferns and the second has Ireland facing Italy at 9 pm.

The team is undefeated in 2018 and in June defeated then No. 6 Scotland, the first victory over a Tier 1 country since the 1920s. Thirteen of the players that faced Scotland, ten of them starters, will take the pitch against the Maori All Blacks in a non-test match prior to the team heading to Europe to play Samoa, Romania, and Ireland.

The team includes two players, Chance Wenglewski and Gannon Moore, who will play with the National team for the first time. The exposure for them will be invaluable ahead of decisions that will need to be made for the Rugby World Cup Japan 2019.

Ryan Matyas, Psalm Wooching, Tony Lamborn, Dino Waldren, and Anthony Purpura return to the squad since playing in the Americas Rugby Championship 2018. Matyas, Wooching, and Audsley recently competed in the Americas Pacific Challenge 2018 with the Men’s Selects.

Eagle Luke Hume has been unlucky since he last appeared with the Eagles in June 2016. Injuries after his selection have eliminated other opportunities for the high energetic and elusive runner.

The team will be captained by Nate Augspurger, who will start at wing. The team is a strong one and one that should provide an important test as the team prepares for the three tests to follow.

“We’re facing a huge challenge this weekend with a very polished Maori All Blacks side. The group of guys selected has all proven they can meet that challenge over the last week and a half of training,” said Head Coach Gary Gold. “We know that when Saturday comes, we’ll need to show an unmatched patience and consistency within our game plan to deliver the results we know we are capable of.”

“Following the Eagles’ opening match of the November Internationals 2018, the United States will travel to Europe for three test matches against Samoa (Nov. 10), Romania (Nov. 17) and Ireland (Nov. 24). The match against Romania will also be broadcast LIVE on FloRugby with broadcast information for the other two will be updated closer to date.”

Maori All Blacks

Head Coach Clayton McMillan has selected a squad that combines experience  with the inclusion of players making their debuts. Locks Ssaia Walker-Leawere and Pari Pari Parkinson, wingers Jonah Lowe and Regan Ware and loose forward Mitch Karpik all are making their debuts with the team.

Izzy (Walker-Leawere) and Pari Pari (Parkinson) have played in the Mitre 10 Cup and are powerful men. Experienced players also include midfielders Teihorangi Walden and Rob Thompson and a formidable front row of Dixon, Chris Eves and Ben May. Robbie Abel, Hoani Matenga, Billy Harmon, Josh Ioane and Matty Lansdown will debut should they enter the match as replacements.

McMillan said “A lot of those guys on the bench will bring energy and there’s also a little bit of strategy because there was a good percentage of them played in the (Mitre 10 Cup) Final last week, and we want to respect the fact that they are a little bit banged up, but they will bring good energy.”

Squads (#Caps or 0*)

USA Men’s Eagles: 1. Chance Wenglewski* 2. Dylan Fawsitt (5) 3. Paul Mullen (3) 4. Ben Landry (15) 5. Nick Civetta (15) 6. John Quill (27) 7. Tony Lamborn (16) 8. Cam Dolan (37) 9. Shaun Davies (18) 10. Will Hooley (4) 11. Ryan Matyas (10) 12. Dylan Audsley (6) 13. Gannon Moore* 14. Nate Augspurger (C) (21) 15. Luke Hume (20) 16. James Hilterbrand (16) 17. Anthony Purpura (11) 18. Dino Waldren (12) 19. Greg Peterson (17) 20. Hanco Germishuys (8) 21. Psalm Wooching (3) 22. Ruben de Haas (4) 23. Will Magie (16)

Maori All Blacks: 1 Chris Eves North Harbour Waikato / Tainui 2 Ash Dixon (Captain) Hawke’s Bay Ngati Tahinga 3 Ben May Hawke’s Bay Ngati Maniapoto / Waikato 4 Isaia Walker-Leawere * Wellington Ngati Porou 5 Pari Pari Parkinson * Tasman Te Whanau a Apanui 6 Reed Prinsep Canterbury Te Rarawa 7 Mitch Karpik * Bay of Plenty Rongomaiwahine / Ngati Kahungunu 8 Akira Ioane Auckland Ngapuhi / Te Whanau a Apanui 9 Brad Weber Hawkes Bay Ngati Porou 10 Otere Black Manawatu Ngai Tuhoe / Te Whanau a Apanui / Ngati Tuwharetoa 11 Regan Ware * Taranaki Ngati Porou 12 Teihorangi Walden Taranaki Ngati Kahungunu / Nga Rauru 13 Rob Thompson Manawatu Ngati Kahungunu / Nga Rauru 14 Jonah Lowe * Hawke’s Bay Ngati Pikiao 15 Shaun Stevenson North Harbour Ngapuhi 16 Robbie Abel * Auckland Ngati Wai, Waikato-Tainui, Ngati Hine 17 Ross Wright Northland Ngati Whatua / Ngati Porou 18 Marcel Renata Auckland Ngati Whanaunga / Ngai Takoto 19 Hoani Matenga * Bay of Plenty Rangitane / Te Whanau a Apanui 20 Billy Harmon * Canterbury Ngai Tahu 21 Jonathan Ruru Auckland Ngati Kahungunu / Rongomaiwahine 22 Josh Ioane * Otago Te Rarawa 23 Matty Lansdown * Waikato Te Atiawa

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