US Eagles v New Zealand
Samu Manoa starts against All Blacks
Tom Hamilton in Chicago
October 30, 2014
Todd Clever skippers the Eagles against the All Blacks © Getty Images
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Todd Clever will captain a US Eagles side featuring five Aviva Premiership players in the starting line-up when they face the All Blacks at a sold-out Soldier Field on Saturday.

In what is undoubtedly the biggest game in US rugby history, Eagles coach Mike Tolkin has been given the welcome boost of being able to pick from a full squad despite the match falling outside of the IRB window for Test matches. A deal was done with Premiership Rugby over the availability of the Eagles plying their trade in England's top league and Tolkin has thrown them into the action.

Clever skippers the side from blindside while Samu Manoa (Northampton) and Hayden Smith (Saracens) are partnered in the second-row. Newcastle's Eric Fry packs down at loose-head while Leicester's Blaine Scully takes the left wing with Saracens' Chris Wyles at fullback.

In total there are six amateur players in the Eagles' XV while Edinburgh's Brett Thompson is named on the right wing.

"Our selections were based more on how we wanted to play," Tolkin said. "[The All Blacks] present a big challenge, so worrying too much about them would be counter productive. We had the line-up in place in our heads already and just confirmed it with training this week."

US Eagles:

Chris Wyles, Blaine Scully, Seamus Kelly, Andrew Suniula, Brett Thompson, Adam Siddall, Mike Petri; Eric Fry, Phil Thiel, Olive Kilifi, Samu Manoa, Hayden Smith, Todd Clever (captain), Scott Lavalla, Danny Barrett

Replacements; Tom Coolican, Nick Wallace, Mate Moeakiola, Tai Tuisamoa, Louis Stanfill, Benjamin Tarr, Folau Niua, Troy Hall

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© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
Tom Hamilton is the Associate Editor of ESPNscrum.

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