The big star from the USA overseas this week was Chris Wyles.

Wyles was slated to be on the bench for Saracens this weekend in the 5th Round of the European Cup against Munster. But when a teammate couldn’t go, Wyles got the call. What did he do? Only score the opening try, and followed that up with a brilliant run and grubber through various Munster legs for Chris Ashton to gather and score.

Saracens beat Munster 33-10 to move to 4-1 in Pool 1 of the European Professional Club Rugby Champions Cup. They are in 2nd to Clermont Auvergne, and those teams play each other in France next weekend. The loser has an excellent shot at a wild card spot. The winner is for sure in the quarterfinals.

Samua Manoa was monumental again and he has been for weeks, and this week helped Northampton over the Ospreys to move to 4-1 and in a virtual tie with Racing Metro in Pool 5. Eric Fry came off the bench for Newcastle as they lost to Newport Gwent in the Challenge Cup.

That was it, for the most part, for USA players overseas. Players such as Cam Dolan (Northampton), Greg Peterson (Leicester), Blaine Scully (Leicester, injured), Tom Bliss (Wasps), Brett Thompson (Edinburgh, injured), and Scott LaValla (Stade Francais), did not play. LaValla was simply rested as Paris hammered Bucharest in a Challenge Cup where they haven’t been all that good anyway.

In France’s Pro D2 Taku Ngwenya scored the line try as Biarritz defeated Albi 14-6. Inaki Basauri subbed on late for Tarbes in a 9-0 win over Bourgoin. Biarritz is 2nd, albeit a distant 2nd, in the Pro D2. Tarbes moved up to 11th (out of 16). In the French leagues, keep an eye on the Top 14, where LaValla and Stade Francais are now tied for 1st with ten weeks to go.

In Japan, Todd Clever has not been playing much for an NTT Communications that has shifted its priorities and finished last in the Top League for its pains. Tai Tuisamoa was a sub for London Scottish in a win over the Cornish Pirates. Hanco Germishuys continues to impress at flanker for Gloucester’s academy team.

Now the additional news from overseas that might have slipped by you was that Saracens won the A League championship in England. This is a competition of 2nd-sides among pro teams. Both Thretton Palamo and Hayden Smith were part of the team that beat the Worcester Warriors 27-19. Palamo started at center, and Smith started at lock.

Saracens Storm Coach Joe Shaw has this to say about Smith, who made several bone-crushing tackles in the final.

“Hayden had come back after a month on the side-lines and gave us an unbelievable amount of energy. The hits he put in gave us so much life and energy. His performance tonight exemplified what we’re all about.”

Especially in European competition it’s tough to break into the starting lineup, but the USA players on clubs overseas have been active. However, Manoa, LaValla, and Wyles remain the players logging the most minutes, especially after Scully had to pull out of a recent game with an injury.

We will see more USA players on teams overseas as English clubs continue to realize that they are limited geographically in where they can recruit. Leicester, Wasps, and Saracens are making obvious inroads into recruiting players from the USA. Manoa’s performance has opened many eyes to some of the athletes available in his home country.

The news we’re waiting on is where Todd Clever will end up. His time is essentially done at NTT and he is expected to entertain offers from a variety of clubs all over the world.