A World Cup flanker who was also the playing and later organizational energy behind the USA's Maccabiah Games success, Shawn Lipman has a unique place in American rugby lore.

A hugely competitive player who boxed above his weight whenever he played, the South African-born Lipman was elected to the US Rugby Hall of Fame in 2019. It's his fourth Hall of Fame, as he is also in the halls for the Santa Monica Rugby Club and USA Maccabia Rugby, as well as the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

Lipman was capped nine times by the Eagles and while he played for the USA he was also the captain of the USA team at the Maccabiah Games, basically the Jewish Olympics held every four years. He was named tournament MVP three times, and led the USA to a Gold Medal in 1997. In the final, against South Africa, the country of his birth, he made a crucial try-saving tackle to preserve the victory. Lipman later joked he only made that tackle because he was woefully out of position.

He continues to help run and coach the Maccabiah team, and led them to a 7s Gold medal in 2013 and a 15s Gold medal in 2017. 

He was the MVP of the Santa Monica Rugby Club multiple times, and is probably the most important figure in America's Jewish Rugby Community.