2003 without doubt will go down in rugby history as one of the busiest on record for the USA Eagles. There's the RWC repechage series, Superpowers Cup and Churchill Cup tournaments and then hopefully the big kahuna itself, the Rugby World Cup.

Mixed in with all that is a one-off Test against Italy most likely in July. And it all gets underway this spring when the Eagles are slated to face the winner of the Spain-Tunisia playoff for the right to go to Australia.

Two guys who are very much looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead are Southern California teammates Mike Hercus (Belmont Shore) and Conrad Hodgson (OMBAC). Both have had a taste of international rugby having played for the US against Scotland last summer, as well as competing in the RWC qualifiers against Canada, Chile and Uruguay.

They were also on the USA Sevens team that played in the IRB World Series in Australasia earlier this month.

Hercus burst onto the American scene about a year ago in club rugby, then he played his way onto the bench for the USA 'A' game against Scotland 'A' in Portland. Hodgson has been in the USA sevens squad for a couple of seasons now and also was on the Eagles squad for the 'A' game against the Scots.

"I'm very happy with the way things have been going," says Hercus. "Now with the World Cup looming, hopefully we can make that and put in a successful effort. We're confident in our preparation and if we just focus on us, as opposed to the opposition, we'll be all right."

When the young flyhalf decided to leave the Gordon club in Sydney and move across the Pacific, he set his sights high and to date, apart from a defeat in the 2002 USA Rugby Super League championship final, he has achieved his goals.

"I felt I had a reasonable year last year. This year is starting off on the right track, but certainly I'll just play each games as it comes," adds Hercus.

Likewise, Southern California Griffins captain Hodgson has made himself noticed. He led his Super League club to the championship final in 2001 and was named MVP at the All-Star championships last December.

Hodgson, originally from South Africa, says he's pleased with the way his playing career is taking shape, "Right now all we've got to do is focus on the World Cup, everybody wants to go to the World Cup. We're trying really hard.

"All we want to do is get the best team on the field to play for the United States. It's good for rugby, so we need to make the World Cup, that's the main focus right now. Obviously, I'm very happy that I'm on the sevens and fifteens, but I'm only as good as the people around me."

Despite being teammates one week and adversaries the next, the collective goal is to qualify for the carrot that has Repechage #1 written all over it in RWC Pool B.