Dan Kriel, the twin brother of Springbok central player Jesse Kriel, has been included in the expanded US squad for two matches against the Australian XV team. This is another step toward a possible international career in America.
The center for the Seattle Seawolves is part of a pool of 35 players led by head coach Scott Lawrence. The matches will take place in Nashville on October 24 and Harrison, New Jersey, on October 30. Both matches are not national team games, which gives Lawrence an opportunity to assess players who are still working towards qualifying for the national team, alongside established Eagles players.
Kriel's name is marked with an asterisk on the official list, indicating that he is on the path to obtaining clearance or is going through a development phase. According to Rugby365, it is expected that he will qualify in 2027 after completing a five-year qualification period.
A spot in next year's World Cup in Australia will depend on obtaining this clearance and Lawrence's selection. Currently, the October squad gives the coach a chance to work with him before any decision is made.
Kriel already participated in the first US training camp earlier this year, so this call-up continues existing relationships. Lawrence also included his South African compatriot Wayne van der Bank in the list of developing players.
Seattle signed Kriel to Major League Rugby in the 2022 season after his career in South Africa, where he played for the Bulls, Stormers, and Lions. He also represented South Africa at the U20 level.
When Seawolves announced his signing in September 2021, Kriel described it as a family decision. He stated: 'My family and I are very happy about the new chapter ahead of us. We have heard such wonderful things about Seattle and Major League Rugby. It already feels like home to me.'
At the time, Seattle's rugby director and head coach Allen Clark described the player who still wanted to fight for the Springbok honor. Five years after that announcement, Kriel is being evaluated for an international future in the country where he built his club career.
The Kriel family may still have to learn two more dances.
Lawrence plans to do more than just work with players who can immediately join his main squad. In the squad announcement, he noted that the USA XV team provides an opportunity to develop young talent 'with the potential to contribute to the Eagles in 2027 and beyond.'
These matches also allow players returning from injuries to rejoin the group before the Eagles travel abroad for the Nations Cup matches in November against Hong Kong, China, Romania, and Georgia.
For Kriel, the immediate competition is fighting for a spot in the matchday squad against the Australian XV. The selection in Nashville this weekend will allow him to turn a US training camp invitation into minutes on the field.
