POOL FIXTURES
Sun 9 Oct USA v Italy Whangarei, 0.45am
Sat 15 Oct USA v Japan Whangarei, 5.30am
Sun 23 Oct Canada v USA Auckland, 3.15am
HOW THEY QUALIFIED
As one of the seven automatic qualifiers from RWC 2017 having finished fourth at the tournament in Ireland.
DID YOU KNOW?
The USA reached at least the semi-finals of the first three World Cups, but then had to wait 19 years to make an appearance in the last four again.
UNOFFICIAL THEME TUNE
Falling Down by Oasis: Struggling to hit the dizzy heights of yesteryear.
ODDS
The bookies, working from the world rankings, generously rate them as a top-six contender. Priced
