U.S. Ruggers to Test Japanese

The United States Eagles, the select national rugby team, will play the Japanese national team at 3 p.m. Saturday in an international test match at El Camino College’s Murdock Stadium. The game is a rematch from a year ago when the touring U.S. team beat the Japanese, 16-15, in Japan.

The U.S. team includes two Southern Californians, Joe Clarkson and John Mickel, both of the Manhattan Beach-Hermosa Beach area. The team is made up of the country’s best club players, generally ages 25 to 32.

Japan is on an eight-game tour of the U.S. and Canada in preparation for the first World Cup in New Zealand and Australia in May, 1987. The U.S. and Japan have qualified for the World Cup. Team officials say Japan will match its small but fast squad against a bigger U.S. team known for a straight-ahead style and aggressive tackling.

Tickets are $5 at the gate. The big match will be preceded by a noon “old boys” game between the Old Frothonias, a local team, and the Phoenix Old Boys.