USA Men's 15s Head Coach Gary Gold has named his squad for the Final Qualifier Tournament in Dubai.
The Eagles will play Hong Kong, Kenya, and Portugal as part of a round-robin series November 6-18. The winner gets the last spot at the Rugby World Cup 2023 in France and will join Wales, Australia, Fiji and Georgia in Pool C. The first game, against Kenya, kicks off Sunday, November 6 at 7AM ET live on The Rugby Network.
Of the 30 players on the roster, 24 arrived from a multi-week warmup period in South Africa that included two exhibition matches against the Toyota Cheetahs and Airlink Pumas.
Gold has said there's a good chance that those players, and not the overseas-based players, would be looked at to start that first game in the interests of continuity and unity.
GRR Talks to Gary Gold About Qualifier Preparation
“We had some really good moments in South Africa, both from our veterans and a few of the up-and-coming players," said Gold. "Defense is improving and we’re trying to be more of a threat with the ball in hand. Day-in and day-out training for the last few weeks has also been a positive element, as the group continues to realign for the international stage. This extended assembly time has been fundamental for both the players and coaching staff, as we set ourselves up for the best opportunities ahead of Dubai.”
