The USA U20 team will face off with Canada in a two-game series starting tomorrow, Monday, March 23, in British Columbia.

The first game will be at the Shawnigan Lake School, with the second game on March 27 at Rugby Canada's Westhills Stadium in Langford, BC, both locations on Vancouver Island. The winner of the series will go to the Junior World Rugby Trophy. The USA has an excellent shot at winning this series, despite the expected strength of the Canadian squad. The Junior All Americans boast several players who are on major clubs or playing in academy systems - Hanco Germishuys has excelled in the Gloucester Academy, Ben Cima is working out with pro clubs, Victor Camptat is at the Toulon Academy in France,Paula Hafoka has been with New South Wales in Australia, and Christian Wiessing and Valdemar Lee-Lo are playing for men's clubs in the USA.

There's talent, to be sure. Lee-Lo is a tough prop, and Wiessing and Camptat form an impressive (and tall) second row combination. It also helps that Wiessing speaks French, because Camptat is still working his way through English. Cima, Seth Halliman, and Erik Thompson form part of a backline that is very familiar with each other.

Cima and Wiessing spoke with Goff Rugby Report about linking it all together.

"We've bonded pretty well," said Wiessing. "We came together and soon we're all chatting and talking. If we've never met each other before, then one of us knows a guy who knows a guy and there's a rugby connection there. There are some team-building things we do and we're coming along."

"There's a lot of common ground and common experiences," added Cima. "The social aspect of being on the team comes with all of us having a common goal. We're here to beat Canada and qualify for the tournament in Portugal."

The team went through a good captain's run on Sunday, and will rest up now for the game on Monday.

Notes: USA senior national team prop Titi Lamositele still qualifies for this squad, but was held back at his club Saracens, where he played on Sunday. But he might be available for the March 27 game, although nothing has been confirmed.