The model of success demonstrated by the Fijian Drua in the Super Rugby Pacific competition is now being adopted by World Rugby to enhance the standard of rugby in the United States. Alama Ieremia, a former All Blacks and Manu Samoa star, is spearheading this initiative. He currently serves as the back and attack coach for the USA national rugby team, which is set to compete against the Flying Fijians in the Pacific Nations Cup semi-final in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday at 10:05 PM.
Ieremia has also stepped into the role of head coach for the Anthem Rugby Carolina franchise club within the American Major League Rugby (MLR) competition. The team was established earlier this year in collaboration with World Rugby, which is providing partial funding to launch the team in Charlotte.
“It’s an effort to create pathways for American and eligible players, aiming to elevate them to the Eagles,” said Ieremia, who has previously coached the Hurricanes and Manu Samoa. “I am passionate about nurturing many of the academy players.”
The focus of the team will be on developing young American talent, modeled after the success of the Fijian Drua in Super Rugby. World Rugby has stated that the new team will significantly contribute to achieving high-performance objectives and supporting the long-term ambitions of the USA men’s national team, particularly as they prepare for the Rugby World Cup in 2027 and the opportunity to host the event in 2031.
“Such a partnership has yielded success for Rugby World Cup 2023 quarter-finalists Fiji with the establishment of the Drua, and we are excited about the potential of Anthem RC as both a pathway and a significant franchise within a long-term vision for MLR success,” World Rugby remarked.
Additionally, USA Rugby is conducting a global recruitment campaign to attract eligible players from the United States. Ieremia has already reached out to several players based in New Zealand who qualify to represent the Eagles in the future.
“We are definitely expanding our search, inviting those with American heritage to connect with us,” Ieremia stated. However, according to USA Eagles head coach Scott Lawrence, the integration of eligible players into the team is still in its initial stages.
“We are considering that type of player, but they must exhibit a genuine desire to play for the USA,” noted Lawrence. “Playing for the USA is a commitment driven by passion, not financial gain.”
Following the USA’s failure to qualify for the last year’s World Cup in France, the focus now shifts towards 2027 and 2031, when the country will be hosting the Rugby World Cup for the first time.
In a nod to ambition, Lawrence recalled former President John F. Kennedy’s declaration about landing on the moon. “In 1962, JFK said we’d go to the moon, and seven years later we achieved that. Seven years from now, we aim to be in the quarter-finals of a World Cup. That’s our moon shot; that’s our goal.”