The USA Men's Under 20 program will hold evaluation camps starting in early December as Head Coach JD Stephenson works toward picking the team to play in the World Rugby U20 Trohpy Qualifier in June.

While several of the players from last year are expected to push for a return sport, but, as is the nature of the age-grade game, there will be plenty of holes to fill.

One player who has a good shot at getting a return look is scrumhalf Ruben de Haas. After the USA senior team lost to the Maori All Blacks last Friday, members of the media spoke to USA Coach John Mitchell during the press conference. One question was about how Mitchell had used so many scrumhalves in his tenure as coach, and Mitchell said he was pleased with the talent coming up in that position, including the #9s on tour right now, Nate Augspurger and Stephen Tomasin, and former USA U20 and former Cal standout Nick Boyer. But Mitchell also said that there was a player coming up "still locked up in age-grade" who we'd see soon. He was likely talking about the Arkansas product, de Haas.

The Little Rock Junior Stormers scrumhalf spent a month during the summer training with the Super Rugby team the Cheetahs in South Africa, working out with their U21 program. De Haas didn't play any games with the team, but said he learned a lot and the experience opened up opportunities. (De Haas's father, Pieter, played for the Cheetahs in the Pieter's father also played for them.)

Now back in the USA, de Haas said the returning U20s players are itching to get back at it.

"I am looking forward to U20s," said de Haas, "and I'm very excited about the team we can build. The senior guys are are all very positive, having been there and through those tough pressure situations, the experience will help a lot. The guys are hungry to better our performances and results and I believe with the consistency with the coaches witch was great we can surely improve."

USA U20 evaluation camps will be held throughout December, with events in Atlanta, San Francisco, and Phoenix. After that, development camps will be held in January and February, with an eye toward picking the team for the qualifier against Canada in June.

Below is the schedule of assemblies. To nominate a player to the USA U20 team, click here.

AIG Men's Junior All-Americans | 2016-17 Calendar

Evaluation Camps
Dec. 2-4 - Atlanta, Georgia
Dec. 9-11 - San Francisco, California
Dec. 16-18 - Phoenix, Arizona

Developmental camps
Jan. 13-16, 2017 - Chula Vista, California
Feb. 10-12, 2017 - Austin, Texas

World Rugby U20 Trophy Qualifier
June 9-19, 2017 - Langford, British Columbia, Canada

World Rugby U20 Trophy
Aug. 25 - Sept. 11, 2017 - Montevideo, Uruguay