Tom Billups' hopes for the World Cup are modest to say the least, and simply winning a game would not be the sole aim of most coaches sending out an American sports team.

But rugby union does not hold nearly the same sway as other sports in the US and Billups, coach of the Eagles, knows they are currently fighting a tough battle to entice American youngsters away from the 'big four' of basketball, baseball, gridiron and ice hockey.

Soccer is beginning to flourish and Billups is trying his hardest to see rugby union follows the same way.

The first objective has already been met; leading the Eagles into their fourth World Cup finals appearance.

But it is one step at a time and Billups' reservations are founded on past experience.

The Eagles have won just one World Cup match - their inaugural game in the competition against Japan back in 1987 - and have often been swept aside by rugby's big boys.

Unlike most of the other teams in the World Cup, the majority of the Eagles team are not full-time professionals.

Yet drawn in pool B alongside France, Scotland, Fiji and Japan, the Eagles have a chance to fulfil Billups' objectives.

The October 27 clash against Japan is likely to be the game that Billups has pencilled in as a must-win encounter.

As well as the 1987 World Cup win, the US have beaten Japan 11 times in 15 meetings, including a 74-5 thrashing in 1986 and a 69-27 win in their last clash in May.

Billups has a wealth of experience having played almost 50 times for his country and he is likely to need every bit of that knowledge to get the best out of his side Down Under.

Squad: John Buchholz, Todd Clever, Kain Cross, Kevin Dalzell, Dan Dorsey, Phillip Eloff, Paul Emerick, David Fee, Oloseti Fifita, Jurie Gouws, Luke Gross, Mike Hercus, David Hodges, Jason Keyter, Kirk Khasigian, Kimball Kjar, Gerhard Klerck, Richard Liddington, Dan Lyle, Mike MacDonald, Alec Parker, Kort Schubert, Matt Sherman, Salesi Sika, John Tarpoff, Mose Timoteo, Riaan Van Zyl, Jacob Waasdorp, Link Wilfley, Matt Wyatt.