USA Head Coach John Mitchell has made a few changes for the USA lineup set to face Tonga in San Sebastian, Spain Saturday.

The game is broadcast on The Rugby Channel behind the pay wall. Kickoff is 11am ET.

Titi Lamositele has had to return to his club, Saracens, and Todd Clever has been held out with a suspected concussion. Bryce Campbell is moved to the bench after his first cap last week against Romania, and lock Nate Brakeley sits. In Lamositele's place at prop is Joe Taufete'e. In place of Brakeley, former Life University All American Cam Dolan starts along with newly-capped Nick Civetta. Samu Manoa comes in to start at blindside flanker in place of Clever.

And in the centers, Marcel Brache, the US-born South Africa back, gets his first cap. Blaine Scully will captain the team.

All eyes are on the USA team's execution as they face a Tonga team the Eagles have not beaten since 1999. Mitchell said the players worked very hard, but told USA Rugby that he was displeased with the team's inaccuracy. It was an understatement, as the USA just kept dropping the ball and rarely was able to build phases or expose Romania out wide.

Even when they got wide, they ended up in touch, and basically seemed to have taken a step backward. Tonga offers a chance to rebound. Key will be how the Eagles stay away from penalty trouble in the scrums and the breakdown. In addition, Mitchell wants his players to play a fast-paced game, with forwards running hard onto flat balls from scrumhalf Nate Augspurger. But that works only if you retain possession of the ball, and the Eagle forwards and backs both let too many balls hit the ground.

Samu Manoa will be a crucial in this area, as he's a main ballcarrier for every team he plays for, and he can handle catching a pass while being hit at the same time. If he is able to break a couple of tackles at the same time, the USA will certainly benefit.

The defense on kicks, and how they managed reply kicks was also in question. Some of these issues can be lived with, but if the Eagles give away repeated penalties and repeated possession, they will be in trouble.

USA Lineup v. Tonga 
1. Joe Taufete'e 
2. James Hilterbrand 
3. Chris Baumann 
4. Cameron Dolan 
5. Nick Civetta 
6. Samu Manoa 
7. Tony Lamborn 
8. Andrew Durutalo 
9. Nate Augspurger 
10. Will Holder 
11. Martin Iosefo 
12. Marcel Brache 
13. Thretton Palamo 
14. Blaine Scully (C) 
15. Madison Hughes

Reserves 
16. Pat Blair 
17. Angus MacLellan 
18. Dino Waldren 
19. Al McFarland 
20. Langilangi Haupeakui 
21. Mike Te'o 
22. JP Eloff 
23. Bryce Campbell

Tonga v. USA 
1. Tevita Mailau 
2. Paula Ngauamo 
3. Siua Halanukonuka 
4. Steve Mafi 
5. Joe Tu'ineau 
6. Dan Faleafa 
7. Jack Ram 
8. Tevita Koloamatangi 
9. Sonatane Takulua 
10. Kali Hala 
11. Fetu'u Vainikolo 
12. Latiume Fosita 
13. Siale Piutau (C) 
14. Nafi Tu'itavake 
15. Telusa Veainu

Reserves 
16. Elvis Taione 
17. Paea Fa'anunu 
18. Sila Puafisi 
19. Valentino Mapapalangi 
20. Kotoni Ale 
21. Tomasi Palu 
22. Tevita Taufui 
23. David Halaifonua

Read more at https://www.usarugby.org/2016/11/spain-hosts-eagles-sea-eagles-in-novemb...