IRB Rugby World Cup
USA Eagles star Scott LaValla out of the World Cup
ESPN Staff
September 4, 2015
USA confident against highly-rated Wallabies

The USA Eagles have suffered a huge blow with experienced forward Scott LaValla ruled out of the Rugby World Cup.

LaValla, 27, has 33 caps to his name and is an essential figure in their pack but there are now doubts over whether he will play international rugby again. The competition looked set to be potentially LaValla's last involvement with the America national side with reports suggesting he is keen on a career change to the US Marines but his fractured elbow has put paid to his plans to play in the tournament.

Matt Trouville has been called in to replace LaValla and coach Mike Tolkin has paid tribute to the Stade Francais forward.

"Scott has been a fantastic Eagle and has done so much to raise the level of play of the Eagles program," Tolkin told USARugby.org. "He has represented the national team with pride and distinction from age-grade through to the senior level. All of the players and staff feel for Scott, and our hearts go out to him during this unfortunate turn of events."

Team-mate Louis Stanfill added: "Scott LaValla's involvement in this team is nothing short of invaluable. On top of being one of our top performers, he brought a level of professionalism, energy, and leadership that fuelled this team to be better both on and off the field; from the bottom of the roster to the top.

"He holds his quality of play to a standard that is near perfection, but a standard that he expected himself to attain from training to games, and that mentality has helped us to push each other and the team culture to gain that winning edge.

"It is with great pain and grief that this injury occurred so close to such a great sporting event, and also during a time when our men's national team has been working day and night to put our best foot forward, and has been doing so in the right direction. Scott has been all in since he first started with the national team, and his legacy will help to carry us to continue a winning tradition as the USA men's national team."

© ESPN Staff

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