Todd Clever has been confirmed as the Eagles' captain for next month's World Cup © Ian Muir

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Players/Officials: Eddie O'Sullivan

Tournaments/Tours: Rugby World Cup

Teams: United States of America

USA head coach Eddie O'Sullivan has revealed his 30-man squad for next month's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Suntory Sungoliath flanker Todd Clever will captain a squad made up of 16 forwards and 14 backs with New York Athletic Club scrum-half Mike Petri named vice-captain. The group also includes Saracens duo Chris Wyles and Hayden Smith and veteran Leeds prop Mike MacDonald while there is Top 14 talent in the form of Biarritz' Taku Ngwenya, Stade Francais' Scott LaValla and Agen's Kevin Swiryn.

"I think there is a sense of relief that we are now in a position to name the final squad of 30 for the RWC," commented O'Sullivan. It has been a thorough process and I belief that we have the best 30 players available to us heading into the RWC. As expected we have had to make some very tough decisions to get to the final squad, but that is just reflection on the talent available to us."

The Eagles' warmed up for the sport's showpiece event with back-to-back defeats to Canada before falling to Japan in their latest outing last weekend. But O'Sullivan is not dwelling on those results. "All eyes are now turned to RWC and our departure from the USA on September 1," he added.

The squad will assemble in Santa Barbara on August 28 for their final preparations before flying to New Zealand on September 1. The Eagles kick off their World Cup campaign against Ireland in New Plymouth on September 11.

USA squad:

Forwards: Inaki Basauri (Perigueux), Chris Biller (San Francisco Golden Gate), Todd Clever (Suntory Sungoliath), Pat Danahy (Life University), Eric Fry (Las Vegas Blackjacks), JJ Gagiano (Univ. of Cape Town), Nic Johnson (Unattached), Scott LaValla (Stade Francais), Mike MacDonald (Leeds Carnegie), Brian McClenahan (Olympic Club), Mate Moeakiola (Bobigny 93), Shawn Pittman (London Welsh), Hayden Smith (Saracens), Louis Stanfill (Unattached), Phil Thiel (Life University), John van der Giessen (Unattached)

Backs: Paul Emerick (Life University), Tai Enosa (Belmont Shore), Colin Hawley (Olympic Club), Nese Malifa (Glendale), Taku Ngwenya (Biarritz), James Paterson (Otago), Mike Petri (New York Athletic Club), Blaine Scully (Unattached), Junior Sifa (Nottingham RFC), Andrew Suniula (Cornish Pirates), Roland Suniula (Chicago Griffins), Kevin Swiryn (Agen), Tim Usasz (Nottingham RFC), Chris Wyles (Saracens)