United States v Australia
USA Eagles captain Chris Wyles to earn 50th cap against Wallabies
ESPN Staff
September 4, 2015
Chris Wyles will start on the wing in his 50th match for the Eagles © Getty Images
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The USA Eagles have named one of their strongest sides for their World Cup warm-up match against the Wallabies on Sunday (AEST), with captain Chris Wyles named on the wing in his 50th Test for the Eagles. Wyles, who made his debut for the Eagles eight years ago on the wing and has since played in two Rugby World Cups, is one of five changes to the Eagles quad and will stay in his favoured position while vice-captain Blaine Scully will start at fullback for his second consecutive match.

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Starting on the bench during the Eagles loss to the Harlequins last week, Zach Fenoglio returned to the front row between Eric Fray and Titi Lamositele. The Eagles will also be playing an Australian of their own with Greg Peterson, who scored his first try for the Eagles against Canada last month, lining up alongside Cam Dolan in the second row.

Samu Monoa has retained his No.8 jersey after he impressed against the Harlequins in his return to the side after missing the Pacific Nations Cup due to commitments with new club Toulon.

Ranked 16th on the World Rugby rankings, the USA Eagles will be using this World Cup warm-up match as a good indication of where they are in the lead up to the tournament.

"This will indicate where we are," Tolkin said of the U.S.'s second match in less than a year at the 61,500-seat Soldier Field. "Win, lose, or draw, we want to see a quality performance over 80 minutes, where the opposition feels pressured on both sides of the ball all game. Whatever the outcome, if we can do that, we will have had a successful final tune-up match. "No matter the lineup that Australia put out, it will be very talented; but if we want to consider ourselves a team who is on the rise in world rugby, then we need to stand up to them."

USA Eagles squad:

Blaine Scully; Takaduzwa Ngwenya, Seamus Kelly, Thretton Palamo, Chris Wyles; AJ MacGinty, Mike Petri; Samu Manoa, Andrew Durutalo, Al McFarland; Greg Peterson, Cameron Dolan; Titi Lamositele, Zach Fenoglio, Eric Fry Replacements: Phil Thiel, Olive Kilifi, Chris Baumann, Louis Stanfill, John Quill, Danny Barrett, Shalom Suniula, Folau Niua

ESPN is proud to announce an exclusive 1-hour special - Chieka's Wallabies: Hope of a Nation - premiering on ESPN Weds Sept 9 at 9pm AEST (11pm NZ). ESPNscrum's leading rugby expert Greg Growden goes one-on-on with the Wallabies coach in this exclusive special that gives a rare insight into the intriguing personality of Australia's head coach.

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