USA Sevens coach Al Caravelli admits it was difficult to select the 12 players who will kick off their 2007/08 IRB Sevens World Series campaign in Dubai after overseeing an intensive training camp in Florida last week.

The squad, which was cut from the 22 who attended the week-long camp, includes four members of the Eagles’ Rugby World Cup 2007 contingent in Todd Clever, Chris Wyles, Nese Malifa and Thretton Palamo – the youngest member of the squad at only 19 years old.

“This was one of the most difficult teams to select,” admitted Caravelli. “We had such outstanding players in terms of their overall speed, fitness and ability. We were very thorough in our deliberations, but everyone on this team proved themselves this week.”

USA will play in six of the eight tournaments in the Series this season with Samoa, Wales and Kenya awaiting them in Pool C in their first appearance in Dubai since 2000. A week later at the Emirates Airline South Africa Sevens in George, Caravelli’s charges will face Fiji, France and Canada in Pool B.
 
USA squad:
Mark Bokhoven, Todd Clever, James Gillenwater, Riaan Hamilton, Justin Hundley, PJ Komongnan, Nese Malifa, Jone Naqica, Thretton Palamo, Milemoti Pulu, Dallen Stanford, Chris Wyles.