The successful model of Fiji Drua’s participation in the Super Rugby Pacific competition is now being emulated by World Rugby as part of its initiative to enhance the quality of rugby in the United States. Alama Ieremia, a former All Blacks and Manu Samoa star center, is spearheading this initiative. Currently, he serves as the backs 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 this Saturday in Tokyo, Japan, at 10:05 PM.
Ieremia has also taken the helm as head coach of the Anthem Rugby Carolina franchise in the American Major League Rugby (MLR). The establishment of this team, revealed earlier this year, is backed by World Rugby, which is providing partial funding to support its launch in Charlotte.
“This initiative is aimed at creating pathways for American and eligible players to advance to the Eagles,” said Ieremia, who previously coached the Hurricanes and Manu Samoa. He expressed excitement about nurturing academy players, emphasizing that the focus of the team will be on developing young American talent based on the Fijian Drua model.
In a declaration, World Rugby stated that the new team would significantly enhance the high-performance goals for the USA men’s national team as they prepare for the qualification for the Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia and the opportunity to host the 2031 edition on home ground. “This type of partnership has proven effective for Rugby World Cup 2023 quarter-finalists Fiji with the establishment of the Drua, and we are optimistic about the potential of Anthem RC, both as a pathway and as a major franchise contributing to MLR’s long-term success,” the statement indicated.
To further enhance their preparations for hosting the World Cup, USA Rugby is conducting a global recruitment drive for eligible players. Ieremia has already contacted several players based in New Zealand who have the necessary documentation to represent the Eagles in the future.
“We’re actively reaching out to say we’re here now, and if you’re interested and have any American heritage, we want to hear from you,” said Ieremia.
Despite the recruitment efforts, USA Eagles head coach Scott Lawrence noted that bringing eligible players to play in the USA and preparing them for international competition is still in the developmental phases. “Yes, we consider such players, but they must genuinely want to play for the USA,” Lawrence explained. “It has to be a heartfelt decision, not motivated by financial gain.”
Following their failure to qualify for the previous World Cup in France, the team’s sights are now fixed on 2027 and 2031, when they are set to host the World Cup for the first time on American soil. “In 1962, JFK (former USA President John F. Kennedy) declared we would go to the moon, and seven years later we accomplished that. In seven years, we aim to reach the quarter-finals of a World Cup,” Lawrence remarked. “That’s our ambitious goal; we are determined to achieve that.”