Eagles seem to have struck Gold in bid to spread their wings
IT was barely noticed really, but events in Bucharest last weekend were not the only moments of historical significance to be played out on a rugby field.
The USA were in Romania for the second leg of the three-Test autumn tour to Europe — they also played the Maori All Blacks at Soldier Field at the start of the month — and their 31-5 hammering of their hosts allowed the Eagles to rise two places to 13th in the World Rankings.
The significance? This is the highest the USA have ever been in the rankings and ensured that the squad coached by Gary Gold have managed to taste victory in nine out of 10 games played this year.
Indeed, back in June they also made history when turning Scotland over in Houston — by 30-29 — to beat a major rugby-playing nation for the very first time.
Former Springbok assistant coach Gold took over the Eagles earlier this year, and their only defeat in 2018 has been at the hands of the Maori All Blacks — who won 55-22 in Chicago — when the closed international window did not permit the selection of their star players who earn their crust in Europe.
The Eagles have been building nicely by being victorious in every game during the Americas Rugby Championship — played against an Argentine XV, Canada, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil — allowing Gold to successfully build on foundations already placed by previous coach John Mitchell, which suggests the game in the States has turned a corner.
Having the expanding domestic Major League Rugby up and running has been helpful too in terms of growing the number of players able to perform for the national side, and there is even talk of a bid to host the World Cup further down the line.
Taking on an admittedly shadow Ireland side will be a massive challenge though, while the situation facing them at next autumn’s World Cup is positively overwhelming as England, Argentina and France occupy the same pool.
As for today’s selection, Cardiff Blues full-back Blaine Scully and Bedford’s Will Hooley are both handy back three players, with the latter kicking the winning points in the recent victory over Samoa.
Paul Lasike, now at Harlequins but a former Chicago Bears player, is a huge presence in the American midfield and will be critical to their game-plan.
Nine of the starting team play outside the States, with locks Greg Peterson and Nick Civetta at Glasgow Warriors and Doncaster Knights respectively, while young prop Titi Lamositele is at Saracens.
As for beating Ireland, well, the Eagles are not expecting to soar this time. It might feel like this game is somewhat tacked on to the schedule coming after last week’s historic win over New Zealand. But for plenty, including Ulster’s John Cooney (pictured), this is a huge chance to lay down a marker ahead of World Cup selection. Joe Schmidt won’t be blown away by anything given the opposition but it remains a chance to put up your hand. With that motivation, Ireland should win comfortably at the Aviva Stadium.