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12.18.2025Eagles
Stephen Tomasin leads the USA squad. Photo David Barpal.
Stephen Tomasin leads the USA squad. Photo David Barpal.
Author: GRR Staff

USA Men’s 7s Head Coach Zack Test has named the player pool for the 2026 season.

In the SVNS 2 Series and hoping to qualify for the World Championships series of three tournament, the USA will play in three SVNS 2 tournament in February and March:

Nairobi, Kenya: 14-15 February 2026
Montevideo, Uruguay: 21-22 March 2026
São Paulo, Brazil: 28-29 March 2026

If they finish among the top four in that series they would then move on to play in the SVNS World Championships:
Hong Kong:  April 17-19
Valladolid, Spain:  May 29-31
Bordeaux, France: June 5-7

Test has brought in some former USA 7s players to work on the staff with him. Nese Malifa is Assistant Coach, Perry Baker is Technical Coach, and Pat Blair is a Technical Coach and Analyst.

Most of the roster is comprised of returning players. However, there are three of the 18 who are new to the program:

Ryan Santos (Harvard and then Jesus College, Cambridge) has played for the USA 7s team before but is now in residency. He is one of the the three accomplished Santos brothers, along with Reed (Babson) and Rand (Cal).

Tucker Trickey showed call in the RugbyTown 7s and in PR7s before then. He represented the USA in the PanAm Games. A long-striding utility player, Trickey can suit up at a variety of positions in 7s.

Lucas Pattinson was a Rudy Scholz Award candidate for West Point and he has been a USA age-grader. He is with the Army's World Class Athlete Program.

“We’re focused on performing in a way that stays true to our values and is reflected through our daily actions," said Test. "With everything we do, how we train, how we prepare, and how we compete, it must align with the standards that define who we are as a program. If we commit to that process wholeheartedly, we put ourselves on the path to becoming the best version of this team. A successful 2026 season is one where our performance consistently reflects that identity. When we uphold our values under pressure, respond to adversity with resilience, and execute with intent, the results will follow. Achieving that level of performance will position us to accomplish our ultimate objective: earning our return to SVNS 1.

“The biggest focus of our pre-season has been reinforcing the foundation of who we are as a program. We’ve invested heavily in defining our identity, heightening our standards, and ensuring that every player understands the principles, habits, and expectations that drive our success. The priority has been building consistency: how we train, how we communicate, and how we compete so that our foundation remains strong throughout the entire year.

“We’re excited about our 9/10 combinations this season. With the firepower and X-factor of Pita Vi and Porter Goodrum, paired with the experience and composure of Steve Tomasin and Will Chevalier, we have a dynamic group capable of dictating the game through not only their tactical awareness and skillset, but also their invaluable experience and natural talent. This year, we’re looking for our forward pack to take a significant step forward and reestablish their dominance on the world stage; whether in set piece, kickoffs, or open-play physicality. We have exceptional combinations across the roster, giving us the versatility to adapt our style of play to any opponent.

Players selected for the residency pool will receive season-long contracts ensuring they have consistent support and the required systems set to train and prepare for success across the upcoming SVNS campaigns. Player compensation is based on a banded system based on tenure and ensures squad members are adequately resourced to represent their country across international competitions.

With the official start of SVNS 2 kicking off February 14th, the team will travel to Fiji in mid-January for a warm up tournament at Coral Coast Sevens. The travel squad will compete in matches across a three-day period.

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