I like what Billups is doing by integrating these new players into the Eagle lineup. I am very interested in what Ryland and Palefau will produce in USA colors. Those two players are very athletic. I think the weakness will be the inexperience of the two locks. Stanfill is really young. I think he is 20 years old. Any predictions? ----------------------------------------- Eagles Debut Four Against Canada May 23 2005, Tokyo – Four debut internationals, including both second rows, will take the field in the USA’s opening Super Cup match, against Canada on Wednesday. Locks James Lik and Louis Stanfill, flanker Andrew Ryland, and wing Mike Palefau are to be the newest Eagles. Five of the seven-man bench also would earn their first caps should they see playing time. The newcomers are joined by hooker Mark Griffin, flanker Todd Clever, and flyhalf Matt Sherman, all of whom last earned “run on” caps in 2003, and Albert Tuipulotu, making his first start at inside center. In all, there are nine changes from the USA’s final match of the 2004 season. “The players in the Super Cup squad have earned their way over the past year through their performances on the field, and now they have the responsibility to play their guts out for the United States” USA head coach Tom Billups said in announcing the squad. In the forwards, Griffin joins props Mike MacDonald and Jacob Waasdorp. Lik and Stanfill are the locks, with Ryland, Clever, and number eight and captain Kort Schubert at the back of the scrum. At halfback, Sherman pairs with Mose Timoteo, while Tuipulotu and Paul Emerick combine at center. Eagle 7s teammates Palefau and David Fee are the wings, with Francois Viljoen at fullback. The bench includes hooker Mike Hobson and prop Chris Osentowski, back five player Mike Mangan, and flanker Jon Hartman. Osentowski, who debuted last fall against Italy, is the only capped forward. Halfback Doug Rowe and center Scott Jones also are uncapped, while the final position goes to Mike Hercus, fresh off a European Challenge Cup victory with Sale Sharks. Canada twice downed the USA by three points in 2004, once at the Super Cup and once in Edmonton, reversing the Eagles’ two-game sweep a year before. At 13th, the Maple Leafs are the highest-ranked team in the four-team competition, three places higher than the USA. 14th-ranked Romania takes on 17th-placed Japan in Wednesday’s other match. United States: Francois Viljoen; Mike Palefau, Paul Emerick, Albert Tuipulotu, David Fee; Matt Sherman, Mose Timoteo; Mike MacDonald, Mark Griffin, Jacob Waasdorp, James Lik, Louis Stanfill, Andrew Ryland, Todd Clever, Kort Schubert (captain). Reserves: Mike Hobson, Chris Osentowski, Mike Mangan, Jon Hartman; Doug Rowe; Scott Jones, Mike Hercus.
i had no idea they were playing each other. seems like it will be good experience for the new players.
I guess this is supposed to be a development thing, but man it ************s me off punting any game to the Canadians.
Canada wins 30-26 at the end. Canada has beaten the USA 30-26 at the Super Cup in Japan, extending its win streak over its southern neighbours to three straight since 2004. Derek Daypuck kicked 15 points for Canada in the winning cause, hitting three penalties and three conversions on the day. Canada will now face host Japan in the tournament decider after the Cherry Blossoms defeated Romania 23-16. The USA will play the Romanians to determine third and fourth place. Canada held a 10-6 first half lead, but by the 68 minute mark the Eagles had built leads of 24-20 and then 26-23, before a try from replacement hooker Aaron Abrams put the Canucks away with a narrow 28-26 lead. Derek Daypucks conversion iced the match with the final 30-28 scoreline. The US opened the scoring with fullback Francois Viljolen slotting a penalty in the fifth minute. Canada’s Daypuck countered that effort in the 24th minute to tie things up at 3-3. Prop Kevin Tkachuk then scored a Daypuck converted try on the half hour to put Canada into a10-3 lead. Just prior to the break Vijolen hit for another penalty goal to narrow the Canadian advantage to 10-6. Mike Palefau opened the second half scoring with a try in the first minute from the restart, and with the Vijolen extras the US were back in the lead 13-10. Vijolen added to the lead with another penalty in the 47th minute – to make it 16-10 USA. Daypuck hit his third of the afternoon two minutes later – to narrow the US lead to 16-13. Vijolen slotted his fourth penalty to again extend the American lead 19-13. Canadian fly-half Ryan Smith then crossed for the first Canuck try of the second half, with Daypuck converting to give the Canadians the lead once more at 20-19. The scoring kept coming as Paul Emerick touched down for the US in the 64th minute – and with the conversion the Eagles were back in the lead at 26-19. Daypuck then hit for his fifth of the day, followed by the Abrams converted try – to give Canada the win and a spot in the Super Cup final for a second straight year. United States: 15 Francois Viljoen; 14 Mike Palefau, 13 Paul Emerick, 12 Albert Tuipulotu, 11 David Fee; 10 Matt Sherman, 9 Mose Timoteo; 1 Mike MacDonald, 2 Mark Griffin, 3 Jacob Waasdorp, 4 James Lik, 5 Louis Stanfill, 6 Andrew Ryland, 7 Todd Clever, 8 Kort Schubert (captain). Reserves: 16 Mike Hobson, 17 Chris Osentowski (@ 15 for Waasdorp), 18 Mike Mangan (@ 40 for Stanfill), 19 Jon Hartman; 20 Doug Rowe; 21 Scott Jones, 22 Mike Hercus (@40 for Sherman). Canada 1. Tkachuk, Kevin, 2. Lawson, Mark (capt.) 3. Cooke, Garth, 4. Tait, Luke, 5. Ramsey, David, 6. Webb, Mike, 7. McKeen, Stan, 8. Carpenter, Aaron, 9. Fleck, Pat, 10. Smith, Ryan, 11. Fyffe, Quentin, 12. King, Matt, 13. Richmond, Stirling, 14. Pyke, Mike, 15. Daypuck, Derek Reserves: 16. Abrams, Aaron (@ 16 for McKeen), 17. Pletch, Dan (@ 22 for Tkachuck) 18. Gainer, Forrest (@ 13 for Cooke) 19. O’Leary, Sean (@ 38 for Carpenter) 20. Goodland, Ken (@ 25 for Ramsey) 21. Fairhurst, Ed 22. Van Camp, Dean (@ 38 for Fleck)
Bit crap that this tournament's in Japan - because they always jimmy the draw so Japan's in the final. The USA is the second best side in that competition, perhaps even the best if they picked their best team (SIGH), but they will end up finishing 3rd.