Overview
- The week-long alignment camp is underway at Chula Vista’s Elite Athlete Training Center as the USA’s first assembly of 2026.
- South African midfielders Dan Kriel and Wayne van der Bank are included for long-term assessment, with both set to qualify for USA selection in 2027 under the five-year residency rule.
- Fifteen of the 35 players are uncapped, including hooker Seth Smith, locks Nathan Den Hoedt and Rhyno Herbst, and draft picks Will Sherman and Oscar Treacy.
- The group also features South African-connected players Rhyno Herbst, Marno Redelinghuys and Ruben de Haas, underscoring Major League Rugby’s role as a pipeline to the national team.
- The Eagles’ domestic players return to MLR on March 28, and the national side plans to begin its 2026 test window in July, including the Nations Cup.