The United States has reached an agreement that will allow it to include leading players based in Britain, France and Japan in its team to play New Zealand in a rugby Test in Chicago on 1 November.
Under the agreement, US players in the English Premiership, second-tier IPA Championships, France’s Top 14, Japan’s Top League and Scotland’s Guinness PRO12 will be released for the match at Soldier Field.
The US Eagles’ Test against New Zealand falls outside the International Rugby Board’s window for international matches and clubs are not obliged to release players.
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USA Rugby’s agreement with the clubs will likely see players released then returned to their teams when the United States plays Fiji, Tonga and Romania in Europe later in November.
“It’s a case of give and take,” USA Rugby chief executive Nigel Melville said. “The players want to play against New Zealand, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any Eagle, but without the clubs’ support they would not be available.”
The agreement with the clubs will likely see players such as Leicester winger Blaine Scully, Saracens prop Titi Lamositele and Northampton backrowers Cameron Dolan and Samu Manoa released for the Chicago match.
US Head coach Mike Tolkin said he was pleased to see players released to face the All Blacks: “an opponent that every rugby player wants to play during his career.”
“The Eagles will field the best team of players we have available to us and that still consists of many strong and talented internationals,” Tolkin said.
“In some areas, there will be players who will be getting more of an opportunity than they would have otherwise had, and they have an opportunity to make the most of that chance.”