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Former Wales Sevens international handed USA debut
By Jon Newcombe
Toby Fricker will make his US Men’s Eagles debut in Tokyo this Saturday after being selected at full-back for the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup semi-final against Fiji.
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Fricker, 29, was born in Wales and played for Wales Sevens and Wales Students but qualifies for USA through his New Orleans-born mother.
This summer he joined MLR’s New England Free Jacks, having previously played club rugby for Ospreys, Bristol and Ebbw Vale.
USA’s matchday 23 doesn’t include either of the two leading performers, fly-half Luke Carty and No.8 Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz, with head coach Scott Lawrence opting to make seven changes of personnel and one positional switch for the team’s first encounter with Fiji in 10 years.
Greg Peterson is the only Eagles player present in the matchday squad to have played in the last fixture in Vannes in November 2014, a 20-14 win for Fiji, but the veteran lock has to be content with a place on the bench.
Australian-born Peterson led the Eagles in the first two matches of the Pacific Nations Cup but Nate Augspurger has stepped into the role.
The veteran wing, who scored twice against Japan last weekend, captains USA for the sixth time in his 46th test. The 34-year-old from Minnesota last performed the role in November at La Vila International Rugby Cup. He has Fricker and Conner Mooneyham for company in the back three.
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Carty’s place at 10 is taken by Chris Mattina, while Ruben de Haas continues at scrum-half. Rand Santos, a star of USA’s run to the final of the 2024 World Rugby U20 Trophy final earlier this year, is set to make his test debut after being named as fly-half cover.
In midfield, Tavite Lopeti shifts to inside-centre to accommodate Dominic Besag’s return to the 13 jersey.
Peterson’s omission leaves the USA starting XV very light on caps, with only four players including Augspurger getting into double figures for caps won.
Another is 38-cap prop Paul Mullen, who has been promoted from the bench along with hooker Sean McNulty. Jack Iscaro continues at loose-head.
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Vili Helu is now partnered in the second row by Jason Damm, while Paddy Ryan and Cory Daniel continue to team up at flanker but with Thomas Tu’avao at No.8 instead of the competition’s top ball carrier Fa’anana-Schultz.
USA team to face Fiji:
1. Jack Iscaro
2. Sean McNulty
3. Paul Mullen
4. Viliami Helu
5. Jason Damm
6. Paddy Ryan
7. Cory Daniel
8. Thomas Tu’avao
9. Ruben de Haas
10. Chris Mattina
11. Nate Augspurger
12. Tavite Lopeti
13. Dominic Besag
14. Conner Mooneyham
15. Toby Fricker
Replacements:
16. Kapeli Pifeleti
17. Jake Turnbull
18. Pono Davis
19. Greg Peterson
20. Tesimoni Tonga’uiha
21. Bryce Campebell
22. Rand Santos
23. JP Smith
