As UR7s reported recently, a USA VII will be represented at the prestigious MaR del Plata National Club 7s. US Club champions, Belmont Shore, have been picked to effectively represent the squad with the the team departing yesterday.

Shore is led by USA captain Matt Hawkins, and includes Belmont stalwarts Cory Blair and Ata Malifa along with Golden Gate veteran Thretton Palamo. In addition Shore head coach James Walker and USA head coach Al Caravelli, have worked closely to fill out the rest of the team with young Eagles prospects from across the country with the side entering the tournament as a USA VII.

As Frankie Degas mentioned the competition is expected to be fierce, with all the top South American national teams such as Argentina, Uruguay and Chile on the draw card competing in the South American championships.

The US/Belmont axis will take part in the International Event on Tuesday, playing friendlies against a Mar del Plata side. They will then face the runners-up and winners from Zone A and Zone B from the South American teams! A busy few days work for them. The current IRB World 7s Champion Springboks masquerading as the SA Vipers, will be lying in wait for the knockouts on Thursday.

Interestingly Belmont has previously met the Emerging Boks at the Nelson Mandela 7's in Port Elizabeth in 2007 where they came close to pulling off what would have been the shock of the tournament.

"It is a very young and inexperienced team" said Belmont coach, Walker.

"However I have seen some of the young guys like Tai Enosa and Dmitri Efthimiou at the Eagles camps, and have been very impressed by their potential. We'll just have to get the boys out on the pitch when we finally all arrive, and try to strike a nice balance. The talent is certainly there, it's just going to be a question of calming some of the nerves."

Coach Caravelli will be shadowing the team and keeping a sharp eye out on his young prodigy's, whilst hoping to unearth yet another gem.

The tournament will take place from 5th to 7th January and serve as another warm-up ahead of the Wellington and Las Vegas IRB events.

Belmont Shore/USA

Matthew Hawkins
Ata Malifa
Cory Blair
Thretton Palamo
Tai Enosa
Dmitri Efthimiou
Don Pati
Chris Baumann
Joseph Mokofizi
Mile Pulu

Coach
James Walker
Technical Advisor
Al Caravelli

Dallen Stanford played 54 matches for the USA 7s team throughout his career spanning from 2006 to 2009, including 13 IRB 7s tournament appearances. He was part of the Belmont Shore side that recently won the USA National Sevens competition.

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