USA head coach Tom Billups has named a seven-man Selection Advisory panel to assist him at the All-Star Championships next month.

The panel features former internationals Robbie Lumkong, Chris O'Brien, George Sucher and Mark Williams, as well as former national team coach George Betzler, along with national team staffers and former Eagles, Andre Blom and Rich Schurfeld.

"These are men with experience in modern international rugby and its requirements," said Billups. "Their assessments of the athletes at the All-Star tournament will be informed, impartial and carefully considered when we name our player pool for 2003."

Each of the Selection Advisors is assigned one or two positions to assess during the All-Star Championship and the panel watches every match over the two-day event. The Advisors also meet with the territorial coaches during the course of the weekend. The National Team has followed the same protocol every year since the territorial tournament was revived in 1997, but Billups has made a special announcement of the Advisory Panel this year, to further publicize the team's selection process.

"It is a simple, merit-based system. I am looking for any athletes who can play at the international level and I have gathered a credentialed panel to help with that search," Billups said. "Their experience and decades of dedication to the Eagles program are above reproach, and their opinions are much valued."

Indeed, the Advisors boast a total of 118 international appearances between them led by Mark Williams who made 36 appearances for the USA from 1987 to 1999. The flyhalf played in both the '91 and '99 Rugby World Cups, and also coached the National 7s Team at the 1997 RWC 7s. Blom, Lumkong, Schurfeld and Sucher were also part of the USA's World Cup squad in '99, while O'Brien scored 146 points as an Eagle flyhalf and center in the late '80s and early '90s.

While the national team player pool also draws on other sources, the All-Star Championship is a vital selection vehicle for the Eagles, as the competition showcases the best players from each of the country's 7 territories and the Combined Services in matches that are generally more fast-paced and physical than club encounters.

Typically, each All-Star tournament promotes a dozen or more athletes into the Eagles player pool for the first time, and catapults at least one into immediate contention for playing time. Examples from recent years include center Philip Eloff (ASCs '99) and utility back Link Wilfley (ASCs '00). Last year, tournament MVP Doug Rowe earned himself a place in the Eagles first assembly of 2003 where he went head-to-head with incumbent scrumhalves, Kevin Dalzell and Kimball Kjar. Rowe earned a start for the USA 'A' side that played Scotland in June.

This year's All-Star Championship returns to Tampa, Florida, on December 6-8.