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Springboks star Jesse Kriel’s twin brother Dan has been named in the extended USA squad for their upcoming matches against Australia XV.
The Eagles will face the Australian side in two non-cap fixtures, with the first taking place in Nashville this weekend before the teams meet again in Harrison, New Jersey, on October 30.
Head coach Scott Lawrence has named a 35-player squad as he looks to finalise his Test team for the closing stages of the Nations Cup.
The USA will face Hong Kong China, Romania and Georgia as the competition concludes.
Dan Kriel made his name in South African rugby before becoming a regular starter for the Seattle Seawolves in Major League Rugby (MLR).
Born in Cape Town, the centre came through the Blue Bulls system, winning the U19 provincial championship before representing South Africa at the 2014 World Rugby Under-20 Championship.
He made his Currie Cup and Super Rugby debuts for the Bulls in 2016, later turning out for the Stormers and Lions in domestic and international competitions.
Kriel moved to the United States in 2022 to join Seattle, making an immediate impact. He scored four tries in his debut season as the Seawolves reached the MLR Championship Final.
His consistent performances earned him a place in the All-MLR Second XV in 2024, when Seattle again finished runners-up. He remained with the franchise through 2026.
The centre was also included in the USA’s first alignment camp of 2026, raising the prospect of an international switch.
However, he has yet to make his Test debut, with his inclusion in the extended squad potentially marking another step towards that goal.
Kriel is expected to become eligible to represent the USA under World Rugby’s five-year residency rule in 2027, which could open the door to a place in their Rugby World Cup squad.
The USA face a difficult challenge at the tournament in Australia, having been drawn in a pool with France, Japan and Samoa. Finishing third in the group could be a key target for the Eagles.
Meanwhile, his twin brother Jesse has enjoyed considerable success on the international stage.
The Springboks centre was part of South Africa’s Rugby World Cup-winning squads in 2019 and 2023, featuring in every match of their triumphant 2023 campaign.
England hooker Jamie George has made his mark at the highest level of the game. His brother Gareth also plays hooker and has represented Thailand.
Marcus Smith is one of England’s most exciting fly-halves. His younger brother Luc has represented the Philippines, where their family has strong roots.
The brothers grew up in South Africa, but their rugby careers took different paths. Duhan went on to play for Scotland, while older brother Akker earned Springbok caps as a hooker.
Freddie won five caps for England between 2012 and 2014. Younger brother Billy qualified for Ireland through his grandfather and made his debut in 2020.
Charles won 17 caps for New Zealand before switching to Tonga in 2022. His older brother Siale captained Tonga at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
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