USA head coach Eddie O'Sullivan has announced his team to play their final showdown in Pool C against Italy at Trafalgar Park in Nelson on Tuesday.
O'Sullivan has made a whopping fourteen changes from the side that lost 67-5 by Australia, with only Saracens lock Hayden Smith retained.
Ultimately fellow Saracen Chris Wyles, Takudzwa Ngwenya, Paul Emerick, Mike MacDonald and Todd Clever are among those who return.
Nottingham scrum-half Tim Usasz, who captained the side against the Wallabies, drops to the bench in a surprise decision by O'Sullivan.
USA: 15 Chris Wyles, 14 Takudzwa Ngwenya, 13 Paul Emerick, 12 Andrew Suniula, 11 James Paterson, 10 Roland Suniula, 9 Mike Petri, 8 Nic Johnson, 7 Todd Clever (c), 6 Louis Stanfill, 5 Hayden Smith, 4 John van der Giessen, 3 Matekitonga Moeakiola, 2 Chris Biller, 1 Mike MacDonald.
Replacements: 16 Phil Thiel, 17 Shawn Pittman, 18 Scott LaValla, 19 Pat Danahy, 20 Tim Usasz, 21 Nese Malifa, 22 Blaine Scully.
Date: Tuesday, September 27
Kick-off: 19:30 (06:30 GMT)
Venue: Trafalgar Park, Nelson
Comments
5Lock4ward says...
Short of Samu Manoa being available this is the Eagles' best possible line-up. They rested all the top line against Australia in hopes of shocking Italy. Hoping it works!
Posted 21:31 26th September 2011