USA Rugby Announcement - CHULA VISTA, Calif. – The latest Men’s Eagles Sevens High Performance Camp begins Wednesday, April 15, at the Olympic Training Center, with 20 athletes set to compete for 12 roster spots at the final two rounds of the 2014-15 World Rugby HSBC Sevens World Series.

The Eagles occupy sixth place in the Series standings after seven legs with 71 points, tying the 2012-13 team for most points in a given season. Should the Eagles overtake England, on 100 points, in fourth place at Emirates Airline Glasgow Sevens and Marriott London Sevens in May, they will qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Summer Games.

“We are pleased with the progress to date this season, having been 13th and relegation boys last season to sitting sixth going into the last two legs,” Eagles Head Coach Mike Friday said. “We are now a feared nation on the circuit, which means we have gained the respect of the other teams around the world – a credit to the hard work the boys have put in.

“However, that is not enough for us and we feel we have so much more potential in us as we chase the grail of consistency of performance. We are eager to get into the last two legs and continue to improve and move forward.”

Martin Iosefo, capped four times this season after making his debut at Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, and Kingsley McGowan will return to camp following absences ahead of the Asian leg of the Series. The student-athletes had commitments at University of Montana and Saint Mary’s College, respectively, that kept them from selection consideration for Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens andTokyo Sevens.

Nate Augspurger made his season debut in Hong Kong and filled in for a suspended Folau Niua over the course of the back-to-back weekends, and will compete for another U.S. jersey as the Series nears its end.

Brett Thompson has recovered from injury and will enter the “Yaka Yard” in Chula Vista this week. The former Edinburgh winger was a Men’s Eagles Sevens mainstay prior to gaining his first international cap in the 15s game last summer.

The World-Class Athlete Program’s Ben Leatigaga and experienced veteran Shalom Suniula are unavailable for selection to Camp due to their selection to the USA Rugby Selects’ upcoming tour of South America, as is Zach Pangelinan.

“We are trying to build the depth pool in the squad and that takes time, and hopefully in time we will have a highly-competitive and -successful squad as well as established pathways that are providing a production line of players that can help the U.S. be a world force in sevens.”

England’s Cup Final victory in Tokyo leaped the Team GB representative over Australia into fourth in the Series standings. The Eagles met Australia in the Bowl Final, the first time both teams failed to make the Cup competition from pool play, and gained ground on the fifth-place team by earning more points with the victory.

The Eagles have been drawn with Argentina, Canada, and Japan in Pool D at Glasgow Sevens, which kicks off May 9 at Scotstoun Stadium.

Men's Eagles Sevens High Performance Camp | April 15-22, 2015

Unavailable for selection: 
Ahmad Harajly 
Ben Leatigaga 
Zach Pangelinan 
Aladdin Schirmer 
Shalom Suniula