USA Men's Eagles Squad Set to Launch Nations Cup Campaign
Published on June 23, 2026 under Major League Rugby (MLR) News Release
USA Rugby Men's Eagles Head Coach Scott Lawrence and coaching staff have named the 31 player squad set to assemble in Denver this week ahead of their upcoming Nations Cup campaign.
The assembly sees the conclusion of the Major League Rugby (MLR) season and marks the official start of the Eagles' Test season as they begin setting the foundation for the upcoming 2027 Rugby World Cup.
The squad features a blend of familiar USA stalwarts and new talent with 7 uncapped players named to the set up. Looking to make their USA debuts, Cassh Maluia, Lance Williams and Ma'ake Muti (California Legion), John Rizzo (Old Glory DC) Julian Roberts (Anthem Rugby Carolina) Mason Pedersen (Seattle Seawolves) and Perry Mayo currently playing with French side, USON Nevers join the assembly.
Team training will get underway in Denver as they dial in on preparations before kicking off their slate of international test matches. The team will first take on Portugal before heading to Charlotte and Cary, North Carolina where they will face Zimbabwe before their third match of the series against Spain. Tickets available at https://eagles.rugby/tickets.
Lawrence commented;
"July is about bringing our core playing group and new coaching staff together for the first time in seven months. With limited preparation time before facing a Portugal side that has already spent significant time together this year and is coming off a successful European campaign, our focus will be on establishing the foundations of our identity and developing to perform in the key moments that decide Test matches."
"Our leadership group understands that July is the first step in a 13-match journey through 2026. This squad reflects the players we believe are best positioned for this window, while others will continue their preparation through injury management, targeted development opportunities, and competitive match exposure before joining the Eagles later in the year."
The series acts as a launchpad for a demanding 2026 international calendar curated to ensure the team is ready for RWC 2027. Facing a cohesive and match-fit Portugal team right out of the gates will provide an immediate litmus test for Coach Lawrence's side.
USA fans can catch the Eagles live in Colorado and North Carolina with tickets still available at https://eagles.rugby/tickets.
Fans can get closer to the action with USA Eagles Experiences at https://usaeagles-experiences.com. All match action will be broadcast live on Paramount+
2026 USA Men's Eagles Nations Cup Squad
Name Team
Alex Maughan Anthem Rugby Carolina
Benjamin Bonasso Old Glory DC
Brandon Harvey Chicago Hounds
Cassh Maluia* California Legion
Chris Hilsenbeck Chicago Hounds
Conner Mooneyham Anthem Rugby Carolina
Cory Daniel Old Glory DC
Dom Besag St. Mary's College
Ethan McVeigh New England Free Jacks
Ezekiel Lindenmuth Seattle Seawolves
Jack Iscaro Stade Francais
Jason Damm California Legion
Joe Mano California Legion
John Rizzo* Old Glory DC
Julian Roberts* Anthem Rugby Carolina
Kapeli Pifeleti Provence Rugby
Lance Williams* California Legion
Luke Carty Anthem Rugby Carolina
Ma'ake Muti* California Legion
Makeen Alikhan Anthem Rugby Carolina
Mason Pedersen* Seattle Seawolves
Mitch Wilson New England Free Jacks
Nafii Ma'afu Union Sportive Montalbanaise
Nathan Den Hoedt Chicago Hounds
Paddy Ryan Seattle Seawolves
Perry Mayo* USON Nevers
Ruben De Haas California Legion
Rufus McLean Seattle Seawolves
Shilo Klein Zebre Parma
Tavite Lopeti Chicago Hounds
Tonga Kofe California Legion
*Denotes uncapped player
Returning to Play
Payton Telea-Ilalio
Oti Pifeleti
David Aiun'u
Kaleb Geiger
Joe Taufete'e
Sean McNulty
Rhyno Herbst
Sam Golla
Christian Poidevin
Marno Redelinghuys
Jamason Fa'ana Schultz
Zion Going
AJ MacGinty
Jack Walsh
Mark O'Keeffe
Oscar Treacy*
2026 USA Men's Eagles Nations Cup Schedule
July 4th | USA vs Portugal
DICK'S Sporting Goods Park, Denver, CO - 9:00pm ET
July 11th | USA vs Zimbabwe
American Legion Memorial Stadium, Charlotte, NC - 7:30pm ET
July 18th | USA vs Spain
First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, NC - 7:30pm ET
Buy Tickets now
2026 USA Men's Eagles Coaches & Staff
Scott Lawrence | Head Coach
Agustin Cavalieri | Assistant Coach - Forwards
Blake Bradford | Assistant Coach - Scrum
David Williams | Assistant Coach - Transition and Attack
Nathan Grey | Assistant Coach - Defense
Steve Brett | Assistant Coach - Attack and Kicking
Andy Friend | Technical Advisor
Davie Gray | Mindset Coach
Jimmy Harrison | Head of Analysis
Jim Molony | Head of Performance
Rodolfo Broggi | Strength and Conditioning Coach
Lauren DeLuca | Team Registered Dietician
Michael Buonopane | Head Athletic Trainer
Michael Sheridan | Athletic Trainer
Willie Berlanga | Massage Therapist
Dr. Matthew Schmitz | Team Doctor
Dr. Corey Wells | Team Doctor
Alana Gattinger | Head of High Performance Operations
Nick Colling | Team Manager
Major League Rugby Stories from June 23, 2026
- Four Seawolves Named to 2026 USA Men's Eagles Squad - Seattle Seawolves
- USA Men's Eagles Squad Set to Launch Nations Cup Campaign - MLR
- Last Week around the Leagues - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
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