While much of the sporting public have had all eyes on the FIFA World Cup, two Free Jacks Academy players, Orlando Isturis and Cillian O’Callaghan, have positioned themselves to play as seniors for their country as rugby grows its profile in the US and looks to the Rugby World Cup in 2031.

The pair from Boston College High School competed with the USA U18s in South America from July 11-19. Isturis played at scrum half and O’Callaghan at hooker as the American development squad went 1-2 in three matches against U18s from Uruguay (26-29 loss), Brazil (36-26 win), and Buenos Aires Academy (0-40 loss).

“Orlando and Cillian have been excellent additions to the group, both on and off the field,” USA U18s Head Coach Luke Lewis. “On field, they have great game understanding and attention to detail. Off the field, they’ve been a pleasure to have in the environment—big personalities that are enjoying their time here.”

Ahead of the international action, Isturis credited the Free Jacks Academy with helping to advance his skills on the pitch.

“The Junior Jacks gave me a great opportunity to compete at a higher academy level like training with the senior players in the winter which pushed me to keep improving as a player. Being surrounded by great players and coaches definitely helped prepare me for the intensity and standard of the USA U18s,” said Isturis.

Looking forward, both players will complete their playing careers with defending Massachusetts State Champions BC High over the coming school year. 

“We’re incredibly proud of Orlando and Cillian for earning their USA U18 caps. Their selection reflects the hard work they’ve put in and on of the key performance indicators of our Academy.” Said Free Jacks General Manager Todd Thornley. “We want to continue casting our net wide across New England to create more opportunities for talented young athletes to represent the USA on the international stage. We’re excited to build on this momentum as we reshape our Academy for the 2026–27 academic year with some exciting new initiatives.“ 

Photos by Marcos Harispe

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