Fijian-born rugby hooker Cyrille Cama, 23, is on the brink of making his international debut with the USA Eagles in this year’s restructured Pacific Nations Cup. He is among six uncapped players in the USA team aiming for a top placement in the tournament, which starts on Friday at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, featuring a match between Fiji and Manu Samoa.
The USA Eagles will face Japan on Saturday, August 31, at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles. Cama hails from Natokalau, Kubulau, in Bua, and has maternal connections to Bureta in Ovalau. He began his rugby journey at St Agnes Primary School in Nabua, where he served as line-back captain for two years before his family moved to Los Angeles in 2013.
Cama signed a two-year contract with the Major League Rugby champions, the LA Giltinis, two years ago and was selected for the USA Eagles Under-20 team. He subsequently joined the High-Performance Programme and played for the Rhinos Tens professional team during the World Tens Series in Bermuda in 2020. He was part of the Rhinos Rugby Academy in Sacramento, training alongside notable African sevens players such as Collins Injera, Andrew Amonde, and Cecil Africa. Cama is the first product of the Rhinos Academy and HPU to gain selection for the USA Eagles.
World Rugby has announced that the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup will double as the qualification event for the Rugby World Cup 2027, highlighting the significance of this inaugural tournament for expanding 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 expressed that the five-week Pacific Nations Cup campaign presents a crucial opportunity for the squad to adapt to the heightened preparation and intensity required for test match rugby. “With new faces comes new energy. We’re expecting this group to come into camp with a competitive mindset focused on securing valuable test match experience,” he stated.
Cama’s mother, Marjorie Cama, reflected on her son’s journey as one of blessings, emphasizing the kindness and support that have contributed to his achievements. She noted her gratitude to the academy’s owners and supporters for aiding Cyrille’s development. “It’s a blessing because it was always his dream to play rugby. America is truly the land of great possibilities, where the sky is the limit,” she added.
This year’s Pacific Nations Cup introduces a new format, featuring a round-robin structure with two pools, culminating in a Grand Final to determine the overall champion. 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.
A finals series has been implemented to decide the title, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the semi-finals. The winners will face off in the final, while the losing teams will compete for third place. The bottom two teams from each pool will play in a fifth-place playoff on the day of the first semi-final on September 14, with the second semi-final taking place the following day. The finals are scheduled to be held in Tokyo and Osaka, with Japan and the USA alternating hosting duties each year.