USA v WALES
Venue: Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Chicago Date: Saturday, 6 June Kick-off: 1910 BST Coverage: Live on S4C, full commentary on BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru & online, plus Sunday highlights on BBC TWO Wales
 Niall Ronan evades a Mike Hercus tackle in Santa Clara |
United States coach Eddie O'Sullivan has made four changes to the team which lost against Ireland on Sunday ahead of Saturday's Test with Wales in Chicago. Most of the changes following the 27-20 loss in Santa Clara come in the backs, where Ata Malifa replaces ex-Dragons, Scarlets and Leeds No 10 Mike Hercus. Australia-based Gavin DeBartalo is in at wing, with Alipate Tuilevuka off the bench to start at outside-centre. Matekitonga Moeakiola takes the place of Leeds Carnegie prop Mike MacDonald. A glut of Welshmen with the Lions in South Africa means Wales are also weakened. But O'Sullivan is himself deprived of up to 10 players through club duties in Europe and South Africa, injuries and work commitments and his side features just two professionals in Saracens duo Chris Wyles at full-back and lock Hayden Smith.  | 606: DEBATE |
"I'm very happy with last week's performance but we need to step up a notch again this week," O'Sullivan said. "I think this Wales team are a very fast side and it was their first hit out against Canada last week so they will be taking it up a notch again this week and it's a big challenge for us. "There were times when we lost our shape on both sides of the football but I think overall it's happening now. "Having said that I think we'll come under more pressure this week to do that. The question is can we step it up again? "Considering we've made some more changes I'm pretty confident that we can take it up again this week and we should be okay." With a Churchill Cup campaign against group rivals Argentina A and England Saxons coming up in the next 10 days before home and away World Cup qualifying legs against Canada at the start of July, O'Sullivan has hit the ground running and needs his players to do the same. "At the same time we're trying to put two big performances together against big teams like Ireland and Wales, so there's a lot to do," said O'Sullivan. "The match against Ireland last week was a starting point. "We will keep improving with each week we have together and each match we play. "Our ultimate goal is to qualify for the Rugby World Cup, but at this time, we just have to take it one competitor at a time. "This week our entire focus will be on learning from our mistakes in the last match and preparing for the Welsh." The main focus of the Eagles' summer campaign are two World Cup qualifying games against Canada on 4 July and 11 July.
USA: Chris Wyles (Saracens); Gavin DeBartalo (Eastern Suburbs), Alipate Tuilevuka (Provo Steelers), Roland Suniula (Pearl City), Kevin Swiryn (Old Puget Sound Beach); Ata Malifa (Belmont Shore RFC), Mike Petri (New York Athletic Club, capt); Matekitonga Moeakiola (Park City Haggis), Chris Biller (California), Will Johnson (Oxford University), John Van Der Giessen (Denver Barbarians), Hayden Smith (Saracens), Louis Stanfill (New York Athletic Club), Peter Dahl (Belmont Shore), Nic Johnson (Denver Barbarians).
Replacements: Brian McClanahan (Olympic Club), Mike MacDonald (Leeds Carnegie), Courtney Mackay (Counties Manukau), JJ Gagiani (Univ. of Cape Town), Tim Usasz (Nottingham RFC), Mike Hercus (Sunshine Coast Stingrays), Junior Sifa (Midleton RFC).
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