USA player Will Holder is expected to be part of the USA’s plans for the November games for the USA, but after that, he will be assembling with another important team, the US Army.

The former West Point All American has been training full-time at the Olympic Training Center at Chula Vista, and has suited up for the USA in 7s and 15s in recent years. But this fall, Holder made the decision to leave the Army’s World-Class Athlete Program (WCAP) and seek a new posting in the Army.

Photos David Carpal.

“I want to get back to doing what I was trained to do at West Point and the job I am paid to do - leading soldiers,” Holder told Goff Rugby Report. “I have friends from the West Point team deployed all over the world, and I needed to make some decisions about my own career in the Army.  I had no intention of going into the WCAP program right out of West Point; I was looking forward to being an officer in the United States Army. But I got the rugby opportunity and it’s been a really cool experience.”

Holder said he will be working in field artillery, and had some postings in mind that might make it easier for him to continue to play rugby, but added that all of that was up to the Army. As it turned out, his posting will allow him to play. 

The successful flyhalf at West Point, Holder showed well for the 7s team during last season and had a good shot to make the Olympic team. Unfortunately, he wasn’t picked.

“That was disappointing,” said Holder. “Rio was a dream of mine. But after talking with the coaches and hearing that it was the direction they wanted to go with the team, not the way I was playing, made it easier to swallow.”

At the same time, Holder seems to have shown that he has an excellent future in 15s at fullback. He got his chance to play fullback this past June and did very well.

“The coaches said they liked the way I played at fullback,” said Holder. “[Against Italy] was the first time I’d ever played there, but I felt really comfortable. It gives me time to make decisions and use space to use my playmaking abilities. I’ve been watching a lot more film to see what other fullbacks are doing and a big goal for me was to develop my play at that position.”

The Service Academies, of course, have always done well at rugby, but many of those players then move on to deployments and postings, and we don’t see much of them outside of the Armed Forces championships. Holder said he will try to keep his hand in the game as much as possible, and points to Andy Locke, another former West Point All American, who pursued a career in the Army, and then came back to the game. There is more rugby talent in the Army, too.

“I think there are a lot of legit players who go unnoticed,” he said. “On the Army 7s team, there are four or five guys who, with the proper training, could give it a shot. Having the time available and the means is difficult. Commanders worry about players getting hurt and not being able to do their jobs.” 

Even if players don’t keep playing, said Holder, rugby is valuable to them.

“Rugby absolutely helps make you a better soldier, and I think being a soldier helps make you a better rugby player. It’s about making decisions and being part of a team.”

Holder will be available for selection for the USA games against the Maori All Blacks, Romania, and Tonga, and then will leave to his new Army posting at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colo. The location will actually allow him to continue to play as time allows, and he is expected to be available for the USA test matches in June, as well.