Canada's Ben LeSage previews match-up with USA's former NFL draftee

TOKYO: Former NFL draftee Cassh Maluia will debut for the USA Eagles in the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup third-place playoff, after being named to start at inside centre in the latest chapter of the USA-Canada sporting rivalry.

Maluia was taken in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots, but later made the move to rugby union. The midfielder helped the California Legion reach the 2026 MLR championship game, where they lost to the Chicago Hounds.

Ben LeSage, who is the most experienced back in Canada’s squad, will line up opposite Maluia on Saturday evening. The rival North American teams will meet for the first time in 13 months, set to take the field at Tokyo’s Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium.

LeSage has tasted MLR championship glory with the New England Free Jacks, and is familiar with the type of player that Maluia is. “I have huge respect for him as an athlete,” LeSage told reporters on Friday, previewing the positional battle that awaits.

“To cross over from American football to rugby in a short period of time to play for [the USA] national team is an impressive feat.

“From the MLR, I’m familiar with him as just a really hard ball carrier, who is looking to break tackles, is very physical on defence and probably matches the style of play that the US is looking to play in general.

“They’re big ball carries, very direct, looking to get to the gain line. I think it’s important for us as centres tomorrow, myself and Jacon [Ince], but our team in general to meet them right where they’re coming at us.”

Canada have own just three of the last 16 matches against the USA, but the last fixture was one to remember for the men from the Great White North. The Canadians secured a 14-point win in Calgary, seeing them hold onto some bragging rights for more than a year now.

USA centre Tavite Lopeti told RugbyPass after the semi-finals that the Eagles “owe them one” as they look to bounce back from that result. Both teams have spoken about wanting to produce their best performances in the Test, pointing to how much it means to both sides.

“It’s a huge rivalry for a number of different reasons. Obviously we’re neighbours in North America so we go against each other a number of times in a lot of different sports,” LeSage said.

“For a number of us on the team, there’s familiarity and teammates on the other team so it’s always important to get bragging rights.

“It’s a team very familiar to us. I was thinking about it earlier today, I think this will be my eighth game for Canada against the US and I’ve been on the losing end of more of those games than wins.

“Understanding that they have the better of us for a number of years and then we’re able to come away with the win last summer. But to build on that and to keep progressing and turning that tide for that Canadian-US rivalry.”