New England Patriots safety Nate Ebner will be part of the U.S. rugby team at the top international level, less than a month after announcing his return to the sport with a goal of making the Rio Olympic team.
Ebner is replacing Carlin Isles, who is dealing with a nagging injury, on the U.S. roster for the Hong Kong leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series this weekend.
The U.S. typically puts its best players on the 12-man roster for World Series events, providing a look into the top hopefuls for the 12-man Olympic team that will be named later this year.