CORK NATIVE JOHN Quill has been included in the USA’s 50-man training squad for the Rugby World Cup.
Already capped 10 times by the Eagles, back row Quill will now begin preparations under head coach Mike Tolkin as the US use July’s Pacific Nations Cup as part of their pre-World Cup schedule.
Quill looks to break a tackle for the US in a 2012 match against Romania. Source: AP/Press Association Images
Formerly an Ireland Schools international, Quill qualifies for the States through his mother. A Dolphin RFC clubman, the flanker has played for Munster up to ‘A’ level and had spells with the London Irish academy and London Welsh in the English Championship.
Registered as a NYAC player, Quill made his debut for the Eagles after moving to the US back in 2012. Remarkably, Quill has spent much of the last season commuting between the States and Cork, where he has been working full-time.
Another man to feature in the US World Cup training squad is AJ MacGinty, a Dublin native who played schools rugby for Blackrock College and then Blackrock RFC. Indeed, his father Alan is still headmaster at the famous Dublin rugby school.
An out-half, MacGinty qualified to play for the States earlier this year on residency grounds, having studied towards a Master’s degree in Sport Health Science at Life University in Marietta, Georgia.
MacGinty’s performances for Life U – who also have Irish natives David Gannon, Dylan Fawsitt, Cathal Doyle, Marcus Walsh, Blair McIlroy and Mark Gribben in their ranks – have earned him rave reviews on the US circuit and he is now expected to push on to become a regular in Tolkin’s squad.
Quill and MacGinty are not the only two players in Tolkin’s 50-man training group with Irish links, however.
Trinity College know exactly how good LaValla is. Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO
Stade Français flanker/lock Scott LaValla studied Philosophy and Political Science at Trinity College in Dublin for four years, captaining their team in the Ulster Bank League and earning trials in the professional game with Ulster.
The northern province never capped the 26-year-old and he was instead snapped up by Top 14 side Stade Français in 2011. LaValla has gone on to play 82 times for the Parisians and helped them to their league title this season.