Fijian rugby union hooker Cyrille Cama, 23, is on the brink of his international debut with the USA Eagles in this year’s rebranded Pacific Nations Cup (PNC). He is among six uncapped players in the squad, aiming for a top placement in the tournament that kicks off on Friday at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, where Fiji will face Manu Samoa.
The USA Eagles will host Japan on Saturday, August 31, at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles. Cama, originally from Natokalau in Bua and linked to Bureta in Ovalau, began his rugby journey at St Agnes Primary School in Nabua, where he served as captain for two years before his family moved to Los Angeles in 2013.
He signed a two-year contract with Major League Rugby champions LA Giltinis and was selected for the USA Eagles Under-20s. His career advanced through the High-Performance Programme, including a spot on the Rhinos Tens professional team during the 2020 World Tens Series in Bermuda. Cama is the first player from the Rhinos Academy and High-Performance Unit to earn USA Eagles selection.
World Rugby recently announced that the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup will act as a qualifier for the Rugby World Cup 2027, making this inaugural tournament significant for the USA’s player pool ahead of next year’s qualification. Fiji and Japan have already secured their spots for RWC 2027.
USA Eagles head coach Scott Lawrence emphasized the importance of the five-week PNC campaign, stating it offers an opportunity for players to experience the necessary preparation and intensity for test match rugby. He highlighted the new energy in the squad, anticipating a competitive mindset focused on maximizing valuable test match minutes.
Cama’s mother, Marjorie Cama, expressed her pride, stating that her son’s journey exemplifies human kindness, generosity, and divine providence. She noted, “It’s a blessing because it was always his dream to play rugby. As they always say, America is the land of great things, where the sky is the limit.”
This year’s PNC features a round-robin format with two pools and a Grand Final to determine the champions. Pool A includes Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga, while Pool B consists of Canada, Japan, and the USA. Each team will play one home and one away match during the pool stage.
The finals series includes semi-finals involving the top two teams from each pool, with winners advancing to the final and losers competing for third place. The last-place teams in each pool will face off for a fifth-place playoff on the same day as the first semi-final on September 14, with the second semi-final scheduled for the following day. The finals are set to take place in Tokyo and Osaka, with Japan and the USA alternating hosting duties annually.