Eagles ready for tough one

USA coach Tom Billups is under no illusions about the task facing his Eagles as they prepare to face Ireland at Lansdowne Road next month.

Former Harlequins hooker and US captain Billups is rebuilding his team after last year’s World Cup and has named a squad for the autumn tests containing just six players from the team that started the USA’s last World Cup game, a group defeat to France.

Former captains Dan Lyle and Dave Hodges have retired, so the leaders in Dublin on November 20 will be a pair of 25-year-olds - Cardiff flanker and captain Kort Schubert and Sale fly-half Mike Hercus.

The pair turned impressive World Cup displays into professional contracts in Britain and the early signs have been good for Billups, whose new-look side performed strongly against France, losing 31-39 in July.

Billups recognises, though, that a tour to Europe is something different.

“One of the challenges facing this Eagle squad, after four months apart, is to go from zero to 90 miles per hour against two Six Nations countries,” said Billups, whose squad will also face Italy in Turin on November 27.

The only other pros in the 28-man squad are centre Paul Emerick of Amatori and lock Gerhard Klerck of Benetton Treviso, while seven players are uncapped.

USA: Forwards: K Schubert, captain (Cardiff Blues), J Gouws (Santa Monica), P Guire (Golden Gate), M Hobson (Air Force Academy), M Kane (Old Puget Sound Beach), G Klerck (Blue Bulls), M MacDonald (Univ. of California), F Mo’unga (Gentlemen of Aspen), C Osentowski (Belmont Shore), A Parker (Gentlemen of Aspen), T Petruzzella (California Polytechnic Univ - San Luis Obispo), A Ryland (Penn State Univ.), B Surgener (Back Bay), J Waasdorp (Warringah), M Wyatt (OMBAC).

Backs: E Anderson (Olympic Club), P Emerick (Amatori), D Fee (Chicago Lions), M Hercus (Sale Sharks), S Jones (Chicago Lions), A Lakomskis (Belmont Shore), M Palefau (Provo Steelers), M Sherman (Randwick), S Sika (Brigham Young Univ.), M Timoteo (Golden Gate), A Tuipulotu (Gentlemen of Aspen), F Viljoen (Washington), D Williams (Chicago Lions).