Accomplished veteran and USA Eagle, Kris Thomas today announced their retirement from international rugby.
Over the last decade, Thomas has been a trailblazing talent on both the sevens and fifteens rugby pitch, competing in the top two competitions the sport has to offer, the Rugby World Cup and Olympic Games. As Thomas looks ahead to the next chapter in life, they leave an indelible impact on the USA Eagles program and rugby in the United States.
“Playing rugby for the US has truly been the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Thomas, “From allowing me to meet and play with my best friends to granting me the chance to not only travel to other countries, but build friendships with people from those places, rugby has exposed me to the beauty of the world. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey, each interaction has made this experience special.”
Thomas was introduced to rugby in college at the University of Central Florida. Originally from Philadelphia, Kris converted track experience into speed on the rugby pitch, which earned USA Rugby All American selections in 2013 and 2014. In 2015, Thomas earned their first senior national team selection during São Paulo Sevens, the first of 44 selections on the HSBC SVNS Series which is currently third all-time for the USA Women’s Sevens. Kris’ 96 tries on the SVNS series also ranks third most in the Women’s Sevens record books.
Thomas shifted to the fifteens game in 2017, debuting against Canada and…
