Mike Tolkin’s changes in the USA lineup for Friday night’s clash with Japan in Sacramento is a reflection mostly of his desire to test players, but that doesn’t mean winning isn’t important.

What might be lost in the shuffle of Saturday’s frustrating loss to Samoa was that the USA didn’t play their best, and still almost beat the best team in the Pacific Nations Cup. A little more urgency in getting the ball out quickly and doing something with it, and more urgency in supporting isolated ballcarriers, would have helped a lot.

That all comes with more time together, which the Eagles had. Much of the work done by the Eagles this week was planned out weeks before, but the coaches also slid in some short-term fixes, too. Chief among them was re-confirming the menu of options in their red-zone offense. Standing at the base of the ruck for 30 seconds waiting for help isn’t one of those options.

In his Thursday interview with Goff Rugby Report, Tolkin voiced some confidence that his team can score tries, can hold steady in the scrum, and should, in theory, start playing with a little more rhythm and togetherness.

That’s why, in part, he has put Thretton Palamo back out there despite a mixed day against Manu Samoa. Palamo has been asked to focus on that ball a bit more, and be grouchier in contact, and to do all his good things more often.

Eric Fry returns to start because he’s the USA’s best option at loosehead. Hayden Smith returns, with perhaps a few more things on his list, while Danny Barrett is back because he was terrific against Samoa, and Tolkin is content to shift some other things around.

The USA backline is unchanged except for Mike Petri starting in his 50th cap, joining Mike MacDonald, Todd Clever, Luke Gross, Alec Parker, Paul Emerick, Dave Hodges, and Lou Stanfill as Eagles who have reached that milestone. Petri was a burst of energy for the Eagles on Saturday.

The changes are based on a number of factors. Zach Fenoglio is at hooker because Tolkin wants to start him and see how he fares for most of a game. Titi Lamositele starts because he was very good subbing in for the injured Mate Moeakiola (the big Utah product is hurt but should be OK. Also at prop, Olive Kilifi is out injured for the moment, which is why Nick Wallace is in camp and on the bench).

Cam Dolan slides to lock because he will be expected to play that position in Cardiff, has put on the size to handle it, and Tolkin needs more options at second row.

At flanker, John Quill is getting a rest, with three games slates over the next 11 days, and Andrew Durutalo is a scrappy, ball-grabbing flanker whose form in 7s begs for him to get a starts. At blindside flanker, Scott LaValla has to start, really. He was on the bench last Saturday, and when he came on he made a big difference. It’s a question as to whether Dolan or LaValla should be #6, so this is a test.

(Another note - one of the issues for the USA on some scrums was impatience by the flankers; at the test level flankers are expected to really push, and if they ease up early hoping to pounce on a ball, the scrum can suffer. This happened on Saturday against Manu Samoa.)

So changes in the forwards, where the message is, mostly, get the ball out quickly and stay in your pods. Hardly any changes in the backs, where the message is, use the skills you have, and communicate.

All of that is about winning the game, which Tolkin says the USA can do. They haven't beaten the Brave Blossoms since the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Maybe it's time.

USA Lineup: 1. Eric Fry, 2. Zach Fenoglio, 3. Titi Lamositele, 4. Hayden Smith, 5. Cameron Dolan, 6. Scott LaValla, 7. Andrew Durutalo, 8. Danny Barrett, 9. Mike Petri, 10. AJ MacGinty, 11. Takudzwa Ngwenya, 12. Thretton Palamo, 13. Seamus Kelly, 14. Blaine Scully, 15. Chris Wyles (c).  Reservs: 16. Phil Thiel, 17. Nick Wallace, 18. Chris Baumann, 19. Lou Stanfill, 20. Alastair McFarland, 21. Shalom Suniula, 22. Folau Niua, 23. Zack Test

Notes: In case you missed it, Todd Clever isn’t in the lineup because he’s been sent home due to rules violations. Samu Manoa isn’t with the squad because USA Rugby decided to leave him with Toulon for pre-season training as a way of easing relations with that club for everyone. Chris Baumann was the only player on the bench last week who didn’t play. If Baumann and Alastair McFarland get on the field, that will make it four new caps in two weeks for the USA. 

And, since we are a site that covers a lot of high school rugby, 15 of the 23 played HS rugby in the USA, with 12 different HS programs represented. Chuckanut (Ferndale, Wash.), Jesuit (Sacramento, Calif.), and Xavier (New York City) double up. Regis Jesuit (Colo.), Naples (Fla.), Budd Bay (Wash.), Sacred Heart (Calif.), Plano (Texas), SFGG (Calif.), Traverse Bay (Mich.), EPA (Calif.), and Peninsula Green (Calif.) are the others