Playing for the World Cup in rugby is an incredible honor, and just to be selected for the team is a feat in itself.

Penn State can now boast, as they have three players from the Penn State men's rugby team getting a chance to make that dream come true on Friday, when they will leave for Santiago, Chile.

Kevin Olson, Alessio Cardillo and Alex Johnson have been selected to the Under-19 national team to represent the United States in the World Cup games.

Olson, a freshman, tried out for the team in his senior year of high school, at the request of his coach. He went down to New York City for a two-day tryout, where they took videotapes of the players and then decided who they wanted.

He traveled with the team to Trinidad for the Pan-American Championships, a qualifier for the World Cup. The team won all three of their games against Trinidad, Jamaica and Venezuela.

Cardillo and Johnson were just recently added to the team in February, however. The U-19 Eagles were looking for a prop and a winger to fill positions on the team. The Penn State coaches recommended the two players to Mark Bullock, who will coach the three ruggers in Chile.

"The coach pointed me out at a camp about a month and a half ago," Johnson said. "The next day they offered me to go. It was a once in a lifetime chance."

Olson, Cardillo and Johnson will fly to Miami to meet up with their team members that come from all over the United States. Then, the entire team will fly together to Chile.

The team will get a few games of practice together before they play actual World Cup games. When asked if that was enough time to get to know the play of his teammates, Cardillo replied, " I don't think there is ever enough time for that, but you have to do with what you got."

The trip is costing approximately $2,000 per person. To raise money for the trip, they have been selling 200 raffle tickets at $10 apiece. Also, some Penn State alumni have contributed money to the trip.

After getting the money situation in order, there was the issue of schoolwork. The players will be missing two weeks of school in order to take part in these games.

Luckily, the coach that they will be with is an assistant principal in Colorado and has offered to administer any tests and quizzes that they will miss.

"I talked to my professors," Johnson said. "They weren't too thrilled about it at first, but once they got the letter that we were going to play for the World Cup, they got a different perspective on it."

On April 5, the USA U-19 team will take on Sri Lanka.

"I know Sri Lanka is tiny, but they are really fast," Cardillo said.

The next game for the team will be against the winner of the Georgia vs. Germany game.

"From what I hear, Georgia and Germany are big guys," Cardillo said. "They play a smash mouth type of rugby. I hear they are just a bunch of giants."

Olson is confident, however, in the ability of his team.

"We have to play tough defense," he said. "Play our game and not be intimidated. We have a lot of talent, some great players. I think we can hold our own against any one of these teams provided we play our game. We have the talent and the ability."

Cardillo added that from what he had heard, the USA U-19 team should have good size and good speed. "Perfectly what a good rugby team should be."

Johnson, a graduate of North Penn High School, is expecting a pick up in the speed of the play and he hopes to see different aspects of the game. He is also hoping to improve his own game.

"Hopefully, just to better my standards of how I play," he said. "I want to learn new things for myself and my game. If I can bring back any new styles, that will always be good to the team here."

Olson said he hopes this trip will bring notoriety to Penn State. He said this trip will make more kids want to come to this school to play rugby.

The three Ruggers are eager to get this trip underway.

"I am extremely excited," Cardillo said. "I can't wait. I was ready to go last week."

"The experience is ridiculous," Olson added. "I heard that as soon as you step off the plane there are reporters there and it is televised in all the countries."

Johnson, however, is humbled by the whole experience.

"I am in total awe everyday that this is happening to me," he said. "Just imagining the whole United States and you are playing for them. I have butterflies in my stomach 24 hours a day."