Chris Wyles will captain the United States national team as the USA Eagles prepare for the Rugby World Cup – at a 4-match Pacific Nations Cup campaign.

Wyles, who won the Premiership with Saracens and helped the Eagles Sevens team qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in a 2-week span, will assume the captaincy role beginning with the team’s assembly in northern California.

The Eagles will play Samoa in San Jose on 18 July, before taking on Japan in Sacramento on 24 July.

Both opponents are in Pool B with the US at the Rugby World Cup.

“Chris has been one of the most respected and successful Eagles of all time and has been a selfless and proud Eagle for nearly a decade,” coach Mike Tolkin said.

“His success as a professional player with Saracens, matched with the respect that he has garnered with his teammates throughout his career, makes him a natural choice as captain.”

Wyles will succeed Todd Clever, the team’s longest-serving captain in history, after embracing the role post-World Cup 2007.

After seeing out his contract with Shining Arcs in Japan’s Top League earlier this year, Clever returned to his home state of California to play with Old Mission Beach Athletic Club.

Blaine Scully will serve as Vice-captain of the USA Eagles.

“Todd has always looked out for the wellbeing of the squad throughout his tenure as captain and has been an exemplary player on the field before and during his captaincy,” Tolkin said.

“Though he may no longer be serving as captain, Todd will continue to wear the jersey with pride and play the game with passion on the field.

“Blaine’s strong work ethic and athletic abilities have made him a successful international player and a leader among the squad.”

Of the 32 players selected to the Pacific Nations Cup squad, 15 plied their trade professionally overseas during the 2014 / 2015 competitive season.

12 Members of the squad travelled to South America for a 3-match tour with the USA Selects, including uncapped selections Chris Baumann, Niku Kruger, Al McFarland, and AJ MacGinty.

Having helped the US qualify for Rio, Danny Barrett, Folau Niua, Zack Test, and Brett Thompson will represent the residency program at the Olympic training center in Chula Vista in the Pacific Nations Cup squad.

The Eagles are coming off of an exciting period that began with a sold-out match against the New Zealand All Blacks at Soldier Field last November.

Though professionals such as Samu Manoa, Scully, and Wyles were released from club duty prior to World Rugby’s November Regulation 9 window to play in Chicago, most were unavailable for the matches in Europe against Romania, Tonga, and Fiji, and have not been in an assembly since.

In all, the USA Eagles will be able to gain cohesion and work on the coaching staff’s game plan across 7 matches and 8 weeks of assembly time before kicking off their Rugby World Cup campaign on 20 September.

“It’s all a process and this part of the process is getting guys back into match fitness and trying the things we want to try ahead of the World Cup, testing them,” Tolkin said.

“We reviewed the things we started in South America; we pulled all the good stuff out and we want to keep working on that.

“For us it’s getting guys game time, getting them back in shape, and whoever comes out at the end of the round are guys who are putting their best foot forward to move on into starting roles at the World Cup.”

Following the 1st 2 Pacific Nations Cup match days, the USA Eagles will head north of the border for a match against Tonga in Toronto on 29 July prior to Finals Day in Burnaby, British Columbia on 3 August.

USA Eagles squad: Danny Barrett, Chris Baumann, Todd Clever, Cameron Dolan, Andrew Durutalo, Zach Fenoglio, Eric Fry, Troy Hall, Seamus Kelly, Olive Kilifi, Niku Kruger, Titi Lamositele, Scott LaValla, Toby L’Estrange, Al McFarland, AJ MacGinty, Matekitonga Moeakiola , Takudzwa Ngwenya, Folau Niua, Thretton Palamo, Greg Peterson, Mike Petri, John Quill, Blaine Scully, Hayden Smith, Louis Stanfill, Andrew Suniula, Shalom Suniula, Zach Test, Phil Thiel, Brett Thompson, Chris Wyles (Captain).

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