Premiership Rugby confirmed on Friday that American players with English clubs will be released for the US Eagles’ game against New Zealand at Soldier Field in Chicago.
The game, on 1 November, falls outside the autumn international window in which clubs must release players for Test duty. A deal has been struck, however, which will make the likes of Saracens’ Hayden Smith and Chris Wyles, Leicester’s Blaine Scully and Samu Manoa of Northampton available to face the All Blacks. Such players will then not be available for the Eagles’ in-window autumn fixtures against Romania, Tonga and Fiji.
Such a deal has long been thought likely. In May, when the long-rumoured All Blacks game was confirmed, a Premiership Rugby spokesman declined to confirm to the Guardian that American players in the Premiership would not be released for the game, or that clubs who did release such players would be fined, as were Northampton, the employers of George North, when they released the Wales and Lions wing for a non-window game against Australia last year.
Both the Eagles and the All Blacks are sponsored by the insurance giant AIG, which is headquartered in New York.
On Friday Mark McCafferty, the chief executive of Premiership Rugby, said: “We have a very good relationship with USA Rugby and we have responded to their request to ensure all their best players are available to play against New Zealand, on what will be an historic occasion.
“As we help grow the sport in the USA, it is essential to support a match of this quality which has clearly captured the interest of American supporters.”
More than 60,000 tickets have been sold for the game, which will become by some distance the best-attended rugby game in North America. It will also be broadcast on NBC.
Nigel Melville, chief executive of USA Rugby and a former director of rugby at London Wasps and Gloucester, said: “This is a significant milestone in the development of the game in the USA. It is unfortunate that such an historic game could not be played under the Regulation 9 release window.
“It is a huge opportunity for our players, coaches and fans to participate in this game and we appreciate the support of Premiership Rugby regarding player release for the game. The other three matches in November provide opportunities for some of our younger players to play for the Eagles and to stake their claim for a place at the World Cup.”
The US Eagles are ranked 18 in the world – this year they have beaten Uruguay and Canada and lost to Japan and Scotland, both of whom are in their 2015 World Cup pool. An Eagles Select XV, without overseas professionals, is currently competing in the Americas Rugby Championship in Canada.
The All Blacks are the reigning World Cup and Rugby Championship champions, ranked No1. Though they were defeated in their last outing, against South Africa in Johannesburg this month, they have lost only twice in 44 games since winning the 2011 World Cup at home.
Before travelling to Chicago, they will play their third Bledisloe Cup game of the season against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.
