USA Rugby Press Release:
PUNTA DEL ESTE, URU – The USA Falcons arrived in Uruguay yesterday for the first part of the Sudamérica Rugby 7s Tournament set to run Jan. 6-7 in Punta Del Este. Lead by Tour Captain Pat Blair, the competition will feature a combination of talented emerging athletes and capped Eagles to face Uruguay (2:15 PM ET), France (6:05 PM ET) and Brazil (8:17 PM ET) in pool play on Day One. Though matches won’t be broadcast in the United States, final scores will be available by following @USARugby.
As a developmental side of the Men’s Sevens team, the Falcons will travel with a collection of players who range in international experience with an average age of just 22 years old.
Blair, returning to the USA Men’s Sevens structure through the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program (WCAP), has earned 9 total caps with the Eagles; followed by Naima Fualaau who competed in the last two HSBC World Sevens Series and Anthony Welmers, also of WCAP, who earned his first cap during the 2016 Cape Town Sevens tournament.
Experience meets emerging faces, however, with the additions of Junior All-American (U19) standouts Sam Walsh and Ben Broselle; along with Devin Short, winner of the USOC’s “The Next Olympic Hopeful.” Overall there are five players that are 19 years old or younger.
Rounding out the squad are two University of California graduates and Collegiate All-Americans, Anthony Salabar and Nicklas Boyer. The latter also earning a place at the Americas Pacific Challenge in 2016 with the USA Selects.
The team is coached by former Men’s Junior All-American head coach and current USA Rugby High Performance Talent ID Manager, JD Stephenson. He is supported by LifeWest’s Adriaan Ferris, and Dartmouth athletic trainer, Ben Schuler.
“This is a great tour and opportunity for players to step up as leaders and influencers from the wider playing group,” said Coach Stevenson. “Being in a competitive and changing tour environment fosters continued development and we are excited to see those players grow over the course of the 10 days.”
USA Men’s Falcons Roster | 2018 Sudamérica Sevens Tournament
- Pat Blair
- Nick Boyer
- Ben Broselle
- Alex Elkins
- Naima Fualaau
- Siale Maka
- Anthony Salaber
- Devin Short
- Sam Walsh
- Zach Webber
- Connor Wallace-Sims
- Anthony Welmers
USA Men’s Falcons Staff | 2018 Sudamérica Sevens Tournament
JD Stephenson – Head Coach
Adriaan Ferris – Assistant Coach
Ben Schuler – Physiotherapist
The Sudamérica Rugby 7s Tournament will be held over two weekends: Jan. 6-7 in Punta Del Este, Uruguay; Jan. 13-14 in Viña Del Mar, Chile. While matches will not be broadcast live in the United States, final scores will be available by following @USARugby on Twitter.
“The coaching staff is extremely pleased and excited about the professionalism and adaptiveness of the playing group,” says Head Coach Stevenson. “The players are well rested after a long trip and ready for the challenges that lay ahead for them.”
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