The USA national side is set to play its first competitive fixtures in 2015 as they take on Canada in back-to-back matches for the Colonial Cup, in preparation for the Rugby League World Cup Qualifiers – Americas in December.

Both games against the Wolverines will be played at Philadelphia Fight’s home ground, the A. A. Garthwaite Stadium, Conshohocken, PA on 20 September (kick off 1pm) and 18 October.

The Hawks selection process was overseen by USARL chairman and director of coaching, Peter Illfield, who conducted South East, Mid-Atlantic and North Eastern region trials. “It’s the first known rugby league team from the USA that has been subject to a selection process, which each player participated in and from which the best available players have been chosen,” he said.

From those initial trials, a North and South Conference teams were selected with the players going head-to-head in the curtain-raiser ahead of the USARL Championship final between the Boston 13s and the Atlanta Rhinos last weekend.

The two matches against Canada, plus the final game of the WC Qualifiers, will be part of three-match series for the Colonial Cup continuing a tradition dating back to 2010. Last year Canada won the trophy for the first time.

The selected players are from eight clubs across the USARL competition with most representing the USA for the first time.

USA
David Aguilar, Jonathon Purnell (Axemen), Taylor Alley, Kenny Britt, Rodrigus Ceasar, Gareth Walker (Warriors), Kevin Wiggins (Black Foxes), Marcos Flegmann, Curtis Goddard (Boston), Casey Clark, Rich Henson, Andrew Kneisly (Fight), Abe Cohen (Knights), Ryan Burroughs (NOVA), Nick Newlin, Terrance Williams (Rhinos), Matt Walsh (Wildcats)

Brian McDermott will be travelling to the USA in December to take over as head coach for the duration of the Rugby League World Cup Qualifiers - Americas.

Photo credit to Lisa Volpe

Pictured: Boston have two representatives in the squad to face Canada