Fijian-born rugby union hooker Cyrille Cama, 23, is on the brink of making his international debut with the USA Eagles in this year’s revamped Pacific Nations Cup. He is among six uncapped players on the USA squad aiming for a top placement as the tournament kicks off on Friday at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, where the Flying Fijians will face Manu Samoa.
The USA Eagles will host Japan on Saturday, August 31, at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles. Cama hails from Natokalau, Kubulau, in Bua, with connections to Bureta in Ovalau. He began his rugby journey at St Agnes Primary School in Nabua, serving as captain for two years before migrating to Los Angeles with his family in 2013.
Two years ago, he signed a contract with the Major League Rugby champions, the LA Giltinis, and has previously played for the USA Eagles Under-20s. Cama advanced through the High-Performance Programme and was selected for the Rhinos Tens professional team during the World Tens Series in Bermuda in 2020. He also played for the Rhinos Rugby Academy in Sacramento alongside well-known African sevens players.
Cama is recognized as the first graduate from the Rhinos Academy and High-Performance Unit to earn a spot on the USA Eagles team.
World Rugby recently disclosed that the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup will serve as a qualification tournament for Rugby World Cup 2027. This year’s inaugural event is seen as a crucial step in expanding the USA’s player base ahead of next year’s qualification, with Fiji and Japan already securing their places for RWC 2027.
USA Eagles head coach Scott Lawrence emphasized that the five-week PNC campaign offers the team a chance to adapt to the heightened preparation and intensity levels required for test match rugby. He expressed confidence that new players will bring fresh energy and a competitive mindset as they aim to gain valuable experience.
Cama’s mother, Marjorie Cama, remarked on her son’s journey, describing it as a blend of human kindness and divine guidance. She expressed gratitude for the support that has facilitated Cyrille’s development and achievement of his dream to play rugby, highlighting America’s opportunities.
This year’s Pacific Nations Cup features an innovative round-robin format with two pools and a Grand Final to determine the overall champion. Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga are in Pool A, while Canada, Japan, and the USA comprise Pool B. Each team will play one home and one away match during the pool stage.
The tournament introduces a finals series where the top two teams from each pool will proceed to the semi-finals, leading to a final match to decide the champion. The teams finishing last in their pools will contest a fifth-place play-off on the same day as the first semi-final on September 14, with the second semi-final scheduled for the following day.
The finals will take place in Tokyo and Osaka, alternating yearly between Japan and the USA.