USA Hawks name final squad for RLWC 2017 Qualifiers

The USA Hawks have named a squad full of players from domestic clubs for their forthcoming Rugby League World Cup 2017 (RLWC 2017) Qualifiers against Canada and Jamaica.

Seven heritage players are also included, five of whom played in the 2013 World Cup. These include the Howard brothers Danny and Steve, and two newcomers, Taylor Howden and Sam Carson.

All the players who are not domestically based have been willing to pay for their own travel to Florida for the two matches.

The Qualifiers will be the first time that the team have worked directly with coach Brian McDermott, who is fresh from winning a domestic treble in the UK with Leeds Rhinos.

“We will need to step up again if we are going to qualify for our second consecutive RLWC,” said USARL chairman Peter Illfield.

“Brian will no doubt raise the bar and provide a far more consistent and intense preparation.”

 McDermott is excited by the chance to take a team to a World Cup.

“The task of qualifying for a World Cup isn’t something that comes around too often and it’s that challenge that draws me to the role,” he said.

“I have passed on ideas about how we might play and between Peter and the USARL management there’s been a significant amount of preparation gone on already.”

USA SQUAD

Nick Newlin (Atlanta Rhinos), Taylor Alley (Central Florida Warriors), Matt Walsh (Connecticut Wildcats), Kevin Wiggins (Delaware Black Foxes), Jon Purnell (Jacksonville Axemen), Mark Offerdahl (London Broncos), Taylor Howden (Mid-West Stockyarders), Luke Barron, Kristian Freed (Mitchelton Panthers, QLD), Abe Cohen (New York Knights), Sam Carson (Norths Devils, QLD), Ryan Burroughs (NOVA Eagles), Casey Clark, Rich Henson, Andrew Kneisly, Roman Lowery, Mike Timpano (Philadelphia Fight), Danny Howard, Steve Howard (Wentworthville Magpies, NSW), Tui Samoa (Young Cherrypickers, NSW)