World Rugby is now adopting the successful model of the Fijian Drua’s involvement in the Super Rugby Pacific competition as it seeks to enhance the level of rugby in the United States. Former All Blacks and Manu Samoa star center Alama Ieremia is spearheading this initiative.
Ieremia, who serves as the back and attack coach for the USA national rugby team, is preparing for the upcoming Pacific Nations Cup semi-final against the Flying Fijians on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan, set to commence at 10:05 PM.
Recently appointed as the head coach of the Anthem Rugby Carolina franchise club in Major League Rugby (MLR), Ieremia is focused on developing a team in partnership with World Rugby, which is providing partial funding for the club’s launch in Charlotte.
“The goal is to create pathways for American and eligible players that can lead them to the Eagles,” said Ieremia, who has previously coached both the Hurricanes and Manu Samoa. He emphasized the importance of nurturing academy players and aims to model the team’s development on the Fijian Drua’s approach in Super Rugby.
World Rugby has expressed confidence that this new team will significantly enhance the USA men’s national team’s performance ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia and the 2031 tournament, which will be held in the USA. “This model has been successful for Rugby World Cup 2023 quarter-finalists Fiji with the Drua’s establishment, and we are optimistic about the potential of Anthem RC, which is a key part of our long-term vision for MLR success,” a statement from World Rugby noted.
In addition to this initiative, USA Rugby is conducting a global recruitment drive aimed at identifying eligible American players. Ieremia has reached out to several New Zealand-based players who meet the criteria to potentially represent the Eagles in the future.
“We’re actively reaching out to those who have American heritage and are interested in joining us,” Ieremia commented. However, Scott Lawrence, head coach of the USA Eagles, emphasized that efforts to bring in eligible players are still in preliminary stages. “While we are interested in such players, they need to have a genuine desire to play for the USA. It should be about passion for the country, rather than financial motivation,” Lawrence stated.
After missing out on qualifying for last year’s World Cup in France, the focus for USA Rugby is firmly set on the 2027 and 2031 tournaments, the latter of which will be hosted for the first time on American soil. “In 1962, JFK declared a mission to go to the moon, and we achieved it in seven years. In seven years, we aim to be competing in a World Cup quarter-final. That is our moonshot,” Lawrence declared.