FORMER BLACKROCK COLLEGE out-half AJ MacGinty will guide his adopted nation USA through their opening Pool B tussle with Samoa.

The Dubliner is one of two Irish exiles in the US squad, but Cork’s John Quill has been left out of of the Sunday (12pm) fixture.

USA are captained by Saracens’ Chris Wyles who swaps fullback for wing with Blaine Scully. And the physicality of Toulon-bound Samu Manoa at number eight will cause any opponent problems.

Samoa, of course, won’t be left wanting in the physicality stakes themselves. Stephen Betham’s side are captained by former Connacht number eight Ofisa Treviranus who is flanked by Jack Lam – a cousin of Westerners’ coach, Pat.

Samoa

15. Tim Nanai-Williams
14. Ken Pisi
13. Paul Perez
12. Rey Lee-Lo
11. Alesana Tuilagi
10. Tusi Pisi
9. Kahn Fotuali’i

1. Sakaria Taulafo
2. Ole Avei
3. Anthony Perenise
4. Teofilo Paulo
5. Iosefa Tekori
6. Maurie Fa’asavalu
7. Jack Lam
8. Ofisa Treviranus (Captain)

Replacements:

16. Viliamu Afatia
17. Motu Matu’u
18. Census Johnston
19. Faifili Levave
20. Alafoti Faosiliva
21. Vavao Afemai
22. Mike Stanley
23. Fa’atoina Autagavaia

USA

15 Blaine Scully
14 Takudzwa Ngwenya
13 Seamus Kelly
12 Thretton Palamo
11 Chris Wyles (captain)
10 AJ MacGinty
9 Mike Petri

1 Eric Fry
2 Zach Fenoglio
3 Titi Lamositele
4 Hayden Smith
5 Greg Peterson
6 Al McFarland
7 Andrew Durutalo
8 Samu Manoa

Replacements

16 Phil Thiel
17 Oli Kilifi
18 Chris Baumann
19 Cam Dolan
20 Danny Barrett
21 Shalom Suniula
22 Folau Niua
23 Brett Thompson

Archive>>Aj MacGinty, the Dublin-born out-half leading USA into the World Cup

14 tips to make it sound like you totally know what’s going on at the Rugby World Cup