Match-by-Match

For a complete breakdown, visit the Schedule section. Game reports are found in the News section.

Stats and Notes

• 1996's total of four wins is the highest ever for the US National Team. In fact, no previous Eagle team ever won three games in a year. The last time the national team played nearly as many games as ten games, in 1991, the US went 2-7.
  
• The US scored 26 tries and 281 points in 1996, averaging 28.1 points per game (ppg). All three figures are team records. On defense, the Eagles gave up just 16 tries and 200 points, an average of 20.0 ppg.
  
• In its runnerup Pacific Rim campaign, the US led the league in most tries scored and fewest tries allowed. Captain Dan Lyle's Eagles set team records for most points scored and margin of victory in July 6's 74-5 win over Japan in San Francisco.
  
• Despite a third-place showing at the Pan American Championship, the US wound up just nine points away from winning the tournament in unbeaten fashion. The Eagles surrendered the fewest total points, while flyhalf Matt Alexander led the tournament in scoring.
  
• Finishing with 133 points in nine games, flyhalf Alexander set a team record for points scored in a season. Alexander now totals 143 for his ten-game career, just one point behind leader Chris O'Brien on the all-time scoring list.
  
• Wing Vaea Anitoni set two US marks, totaling 11 tries on the year and notching four in one outing (versus Japan in San Francisco). With 17 caps to his credit, Anitoni now leads the all-time try-scoring list with 14, and stands fourth on the all-time scoring list with 70 points.
  
• Hooker Tom Billups and halfback Andre Bachelet, each with 17 caps, set American standards for most international appearances by a player at that position in 1996. With 25 caps, Chris Lippert set the record for props and moved into a fourth-place tie on the all-time list. Lock Kevin Swords (1985-94) holds the record with 36 appearances.

All-time Scoring Leaders

Name	Career	Points
1. Chris O'Brien	1988 - 94	144
2. Matt Alexander *	1995 -	143
3. Mark Williams *	1986 -	82
4. Vaea Anitoni *	1992 -	70
5. Ray Nelson	1983 - 91	65

* active in 1996

All-Time Appearance Leaders

1. Kevin Swords	1985 - 94	36
2. Kevin Higgins	1985 - 91	28
3. Mark Williams *	1986 -	27
4. Chris Lippert *	1989 -	25
4. Gary Hein	1987 - 94	25

* active in 1996

Back to the 1997 Schedule...