USA Rugby has named the squad of players who will compete in the first-ever IRB Under-20s World Junior Championships held in Wales, June 6-22.

The new format for this event replaces the annual Under-19 World Championships and will showcase the best 16 age-grade nations in the world. The four pools of four will give each team three pool games then two further playoff fixtures totaling five games in 16 days.
 
The 15th-seeded USA Team will open against No. 2 South Africa on June 6. The Junior Eagles will follow with matches against No. 8 Samoa on June 10 and the No. 10-seeded Scotland Team on June 14. All three pool games will be played at Wrexham’s professional soccer stadium.  Games four and five will be determined after the three opening pool games.
 
The USA Under-20s qualified for this tournament with their third-place Pool B finish last April in the U-19 World Championships. This year’s tournament marks the first time that the U-20 Eagles will faceoff against tier one nations and although the challenges are comparable to those that the senior Eagles faced in last year’s Rugby World Cup, this year’s junior U.S. squad is among the most experienced ever fielded at America’s age-grade level. In fact, 16 of the 26 players on this year’s squad represented the USA in last year’s World Juniors in Belfast.
 
The USA Under-20s Squad includes forwards: Teddy Barron (Harvard, Mass.), Austin Cella (Garryowen, Ireland), Kevin Erskine (Tempe, Ariz.), Ryan Fitcher (Arizona State University), Nick Johnson (Metropolis, Minneapolis), Stevie Johnston (Tempe Rugby, Ariz.), Garrett Lambert (Life University), Scott Lavalla (Trinity College – Ireland), Ryan McTiernan (NYAC), Scott Metcalf (University of Utah), Taylor Mokate (University of Oklahoma), Liam Murphy (Young Munster, Ireland), Max Paganini (University of Purdue), Shawn Pittman (Golden Gate), Mike Shepherd (Brownsburg, Indiana), Bille Wynne (Arizona State University).
 
The USA U-20s backs include: Adam Ducoing (Louisiana State), Nate Ebner (Ohio State University), Gareth Jones (Temple University), Thretton Palamo (Biarritz, France), Hamish Roberts (Texas A&M), Steven Sablan (Potomac Athletic Club), Tyler Siceloff (Bristol University), Zack Test (University of Oregon), Jack Tracy (Back Bay, Calif.), Sean Treacy Clontarf, Ireland).
 
Captain Scott Lavalla, Thretton Palamo, and Nate Ebner will make their third World Juniors appearance, having started in Dubai in 2006 and although this will be Palamo’s first World Juniors playing for the USA, Palamo played for the U.S. against South Africa in the 2007 World Cup, on September 30, 2007, becoming the youngest player ever to play in the RWC. Palamo also played the IRB Sevens circuit this year and is a contracted player with French club Biarritz.
 
“We are delighted to have a player of Thretton’s ability and experience in the squad”, said Head Coach Salty Thompson.  “He brings a significant presence in our midfield and will be a catalyst for the USA Team having a wealth of experience and presence”.
 
Captain Scott Lavalla, Trinity College, Dublin, will lead the USA for the second year. Scott is finishing his freshman year in Ireland and has played 1st team and U-20s in the All Ireland leagues. Liam Murphy, also based in Ireland, helped Young Munster gain promotion to division one this season, following on from his Munster u20s campaign and recent Munster 7s appearances.
 
The squad has Super League presence in prop Shawn Pittman, (Golden Gate), lock Teddy Barron (Boston Wolfhounds), and Steven Sablan, scrum-half with Potomac Athletic Club. Teddy is also playing for Harvard University in the fall.  Fourteen of the squads play university rugby while the remaining twelve play for clubs at Super League, Division 1 and Division 2 levels. Prop Mike Shepherd is the only player in high school, graduating before our May 26 departure.
 
The squad will assemble on Friday, May 22, complete physicals and fitness tests over the weekend then fly to Manchester on Monday, May 26.
 
Upon arrival the USA will be based in Mold, a small town near Wrexham, in North Wales. They will play two 40 minute scrimmages against North Wales Under-20s and the English Midlands U-20s on June 1, before the opener against the Springboks on June 6.
 
The U-20s staff headed into the World Championships includes head coach Salty Thompson, assistant coach Michael Engelbrecht, strength and conditioning coach David Williams, fitness and analysis coordinator Jeremy Bettle, technical coach Luke Gross, event manager Andy Byrne, assistant manager Beth Thompson, trainer Mark Stephens, team doctor Eric Test and physio Gary Lambert.
 

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