USA Rugby Men’s National Team vs Romania

The 17th-ranked USA Men’s Rugby National Team will face 20th-ranked Romania on July 5 at Seak Geak Stadium in Chicago before playing 6th-ranked Scotland at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. on July 12. USA Head Coach Scott Lawrence has selected 30 players from the 55-player pool for the July tests.

Greg Peterson will captain the side, which includes 24 players based in Major League Rugby. The non-MLR players include English Premiership flyhalf AJ MaccGinty, hookers Kapeli Pifeleti and Mike Sosene-Feagai, second-row Renger van Eerten, and scrumhalf Ruben de Haas. St. Mary’s of California teammates Eirch Sorti join USA Eagle and Dom Besag, playing in the World Rugby U20 Trophy competition in Scotland

The squad includes five uncapped players with Seattle Seawolves JP Smith and Conner Mooneyham, Anthem Rugby’s Steffan Crimp, Erich Storti, and Renger van Eerten.

1. Jake Turnbull (5) 2. Dylan Fawsitt (27) 3. Paul Mullen (34) 4. Renger Van Eerten (debut) 5. Greg Peterson (C, 42) 6. Sam Golla (5) 7. Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz (9) 8. Thomas Tu’avao (5) 9. JP Smith (debut) 10. AJ MacGinty (35) 11. Nate Augspurger (41) 12. Tommaso Boni (4) 13. Tavite Lopeti (12) 14. Christian Dyer (14) 15. Mitch Wilson (6) 16. Mike Sosene-Feagai (9) 17. Nate Sylvia (3) 18. Kaleb Geiger (3) 19. Vili Helu (5) 20. Ben Bonasso (5) 21. Paddy Ryan (5) 22. Luke Carty (16) 23. Bryce Campbell (45)

PROP: Jack Iscaro (LH) Old Glory DC 6, Alex Maughan (LH/TH) Los Angeles 3, Paul Mullen (TH) Utah Warriors 33, Nathan Sylvia (LH/TH) San Diego Legion 4, Jake Turnbull (LH) Anthem 5, Kaleb Geiger (TH) New England Free Jacks 3

HOOKER: Dylan Fawsitt, Chicago Hounds 27, Kapeli Pifeleti, Saracens (UK) 11, Sosene-Feagai, MikeAgen (FR) 9

SECOND ROW Cam Dolan, NOLA Gold 67, Sam Golla, Dallas Jackals 5 (L/BR), Greg Peterson, San Diego Legion, 42, captain, Renger van Eerten, Brive (FR) non-cap

BACK ROW: Ben Bonasso (FL/N8) Miami Sharks 5, Jason Damm (N8/L )RFC Los Angeles 2, Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz, Jamason (FL/N8) Old Glory DC 8, Paddy Ryan, (FL) San Diego Legion 5, Thomas Tu’avao (FL/N8) Utah Warriors 5, Vili Helu (FL) San Diego Legion 5

SCRUMHALF: Ruben de Haas, Cheetahs (SA) 31, JP Smith, Seattle Seawolves– non-cap, Ethan McVeigh (non-cap)

FLYHALF/FULLBACK: Luke Carty, Chicago Hounds 14, Steffan Crimp, Anthem –non-cap, AJ MacGinty, Bristol Bears (UK) 35

Center: Tommaso Boni, Old Glory DC 4, Bryce Campbell, Chicago Hounds 45, Tavite Lopeti, Seattle Seawolves12, Erich Storti, St. Mary’s Gaels– non-cap

Wing: Nate Augspurger, Chicago Hounds 41, Christain Dyer, Houston SaberCats14, Conner Mooneyham, Seattle Seawolves–non-cap, Mitch Wilson, New England Free Jacks 6

NON-TRAVELING RESERVES: Payton Telea-Ilalio (LH)San Diego Legion–Sean McNulty (HO) Miami Sharks–Pono Davis (TH )Houston SaberCats–Kaleb Geiger (TH) New England Free Jacks 2, Lucas Gramlick (LO) Anthem Carolina–Cory Daniel (FL) Old Glory DC 3, Collin Grosse (FL) Old Glory DC–Vili Helu (FL) San Diego Legion 5, Bailey Wilson (FL) Utah Warriors 1, Luke White (N8) Chicago Hounds 5, Ethan McVeigh (SH) Old Glory DC–Noah Brown (WI) Chicago Hounds–Toby Fricker (WI) New England Free Jacks–Lauina Futi (WI) Seattle Seawolves 3

Romania Head Coach David Gérard has named a squad of 33 players for their North American Tour. The Oaks will play the USA on July 5 in Chicago and Canada on July 12 in Ottawa.

The squad includes 19 players who played in the 2023 Rugby World Cup with New York native Rob Irimescu with 10 capsRob previously played for Rugby United New York and Old Glory DC in Major League Rugby and his father also played for Romania.

Notable players to watch are hooker Ovidiu Cojocaru, No8 Cristi Chirica, and fullback Marius Simionescu, who have captained the Oaks.

The team also has four uncapped players including lock Yanis Horvat, Castres hooker Stefan Buruiana, back row Adrian Mitu and wing Edouard Carp

PROP: Vasile Balan (Steaua) 21, *Gheorghe Gajion (Mont-de-Marsan, FR) 11, *Iulian Hartig (Bassin D’Arcachon, FR) 17, Cosmin Manole (Dinamo) 3, *Alexandru Savin (Rapid) 34

HOOKER: Stefan Buruiana (Castres, FR) 1, George Ilincuta (Steaua) uncapped, *Rob Irimescu (Baia Mare) 10, *Ovidiu Cojocaru (Dinamo) 38

LOCK: Yanis Horvat (Albi, FR) uncapped, *Stefan Iancu (Baia Mare) 14, *Marius Iftimiciuc (Carcassonne, FR) 25, Andrei Mahu (Massy Essonne, FR) 4, Ionut Muresan (Timisoara) 16

BACK ROW: *Cristi Chirica (Dinamo) 37, Adrian Mitu (Pau, FR) 3, *Vlad Neculau (Timisoara) 20, *Dragos Ser (Timisoara) 21, Kamil Sobota (Dinamo) 11

SCRUMHALF: *Alin Conache (Steaua) 14, *Gabriel Rupanu (Timisoara) 29

FLYHALF: Daniel Plai (Timisoara) 28, *Hinckley Vaovasa (Dinamo) 21

CENTER: *Alexandru Bucur (Timisoara) 17, *Mihai Graure (Dinamo) 3, *Fonovai Tangimana (Rapid) 29, *Jason Tomane (Baia Mare) 19

WING: Edouard Carp (Steaua) uncapped, *Tevita Manumua (Timisoara) 9, Ovidiu Neagu (Dinamo) 5, Corrado Stetco (Timisoara) uncapped

FULLBACK: Paul Popoaia (Baia Mare) 15, *Marius Simionescu (Timisoara) 37