Ex-NFL Kiwi makes United States RWC squad

Paul Lasike – a Kiwi who had two seasons with NFL club Chicago Bears – has been named in the United States’ Rugby World Cup squad alongside former Hurricanes loose forward Tony Lamborn.

Lasike, 29, has been selected as a midfielder after making his USA Eagles debut in 2018.

Auckland-born Lasike, who plays for English club Harlequins, grew up with a dream to play professional rugby.

But he played American football and rugby at Brigham Young University in Salt Lake City.

Lasike was part of the Chicago Bears’ practice squad in 2015 and played 10 games for them during the 2016 season.

He told The Times in 2018 the NFL ‘‘was fricking awesome. It is hard to explain. When you run out, it is such a rush. The American culture for sport is on a different level; it is like soccer in South America or here in England’’.

Lasike was cut by the Bears in 2017 and got a job in the construction industry.

He returned to rugby union, playing seven games for the Utah Warriors in America’s Major League Rugby competition before signing for Harlequins in 2018.

Lasike scored a try on his

Paul Lasike Eagles debut against Chile in the Americas Rugby Championship in 2018 and now has 18 caps.

Lamborn, 28, made his name in New Zealand with the Hawke’s Bay Magpies and started out in Heartland Rugby with North Otago.

He had four Super Rugby games for the Hurricanes in 2016. Lamborn, who has an American father, first pulled on the USA jersey in 2016. He now has 22 caps.

Last year, Lamborn played Mitre 10 Cup rugby for the Southland

Stags but he is now part of the New Orleans Gold in Major League Rugby.

The United States’ South African coach Gary Gold has selected 18 forwards and 13 backs for Japan.

‘‘We think that the attrition for this Rugby World Cup, especially our pool, is going to take it out of our forwards, so we have gone with an extra forward,’’ Gold said.

‘‘We have got good depth in almost every position, I think we are well covered. Where I think we are very lucky is that we have got quite a few guys who can play in multiple positions.’’

Three Eagles, including captain Blaine Scully, will be attending their third World Cup tournament.

The United States are in pool C alongside England, France, Argentina and Tonga.