Fijian-born rugby union hooker Cyrille Cama, 23, is on the verge of making his international debut for the USA Eagles in this year’s rebranded Pacific Nations Cup. He is among six uncapped players on the team, which is aiming for a strong finish in the tournament. The competition begins this Friday at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, featuring a matchup between the Flying Fijians and Manu Samoa.
The USA Eagles will play against Japan on Saturday, August 31, at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles. Cama hails from Natokalau, Kubulau, in Bua, with family connections to Bureta in Ovalau. He started playing rugby at St Agnes Primary School in Nabua, serving as captain for two years. Cama’s family relocated to Los Angeles in 2013.
Two years ago, he signed a contract with the LA Giltinis, the Major League Rugby champions, and was also selected for the USA Eagles Under-20s. He has since progressed to the High-Performance Programme and was chosen to play for the Rhinos Tens team during the World Tens Series in Bermuda in 2020. Cama trained with the Rhinos Rugby Academy in Sacramento, collaborating with renowned African sevens players.
Cama is notably the first product of the Rhinos Academy and High-Performance Unit to be selected for the USA Eagles.
World Rugby recently announced that the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup will act as a qualifying tournament for Rugby World Cup 2027, making this year’s event significant for the USA’s player development ahead of next year’s qualifications. Fiji and Japan have already secured their spots for the World Cup.
USA Eagles head coach Scott Lawrence stated that the five-week Pacific Nations Cup will give the team valuable experience and increase the preparation for test match rugby. He emphasized the importance of fresh talent and competitive spirit within the squad.
Cama’s mother, Marjorie Cama, expressed pride in her son’s achievements, highlighting the support and opportunities he received for his development. She remarked that it has always been Cyrille’s dream to play rugby, and that America offers great possibilities.
This year’s Pacific Nations Cup introduces a new round-robin format with two pools, concluding with a Grand Final to determine the champion. Pool A comprises Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga, while Pool B includes Canada, Japan, and the USA. Each team will play one home and one away match.
The finals will be hosted in Tokyo and Osaka, with responsibilities alternating annually between Japan and the USA.