United States women's national rugby union team

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United States

Nickname	Eagles
Union	USA Rugby
Head coach	Sione Fukofuka[1]
Captain	Rachel Johnson
Most caps	Jamie Burke (51)
First colours Second colours
World Rugby ranking
Current	9 (as of 28 October 2024)
First international
Canada 3–22 United States  (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; 14 November 1987)
Biggest win
Japan 0–121 United States  (Melrose, Scotland; 15 April 1994)
Biggest defeat
England 89–0 United States  (Worcester, England; 21 November 2021)
World Cup
Appearances	9 (First in 1991)
Best result	Champions 1991

Women's
World Rugby Rankings

• v
• t
• e

Top 20 rankings as of 28 October 2024^[2]

Rank	Change*	Team	Points
1		England	097.56
2		Canada	089.31
3		New Zealand	088.64
4		France	085.11
5		Australia	078.10
6		Ireland	078.03
7		Scotland	076.82
8		Italy	074.75
9		United States	074.20
10		Wales	072.58
11		Japan	066.41
12		South Africa	066.18
13		Spain	065.42
14		Russia	061.10
15		Samoa	060.56
16		Netherlands	060.20
17		Fiji	059.14
18		Hong Kong	056.20
19		Kazakhstan	055.23
20		Sweden	052.72
*Change from the previous week

The USA Women's National Team XVs represents the United States in women's international rugby union. The team was officially formed in 1987 and is nicknamed the Eagles.

An international powerhouse during the 1990s— the Eagles won the inaugural 1991 Women's World Cup and finished second in the two following World Cups in 1994 and 1998. The team finished fourth at the 2017 Rugby World Cup in Ireland.^[3]

In May 2018, Rob Cain was appointed full-time Head Coach. Cain joined the Eagles after winning the inaugural Tyrell Premier 15s title in England with Saracens Women.

(Source: US Women's Rugby Foundation)

The history of women's rugby in the United States can be traced back to three teams that existed in 1972 – the Colorado State University Hookers at Fort Collins; the University of Colorado, at Boulder; and the University of Illinois, at Champaign. During the mid-1970s women's teams began to spring up on college campuses across the United States. As those players graduated they went on to set up teams near cities and urban centers. At that time there was only one division for all women's rugby. In 1975, United States Rugby Football Union was formed and contained four territories. At this time the women had their own Board of Directors and followed in parallel USARFU with four territories (East, Midwest, West and Pacific). In 1978, the first Women's National Championships was held. The Chicago Women's Rugby Club in Chicago, Illinois hosted this event. The winner of that championship was Portland, Maine.^{[citation needed]}

In 1985, the first semblance of a national team was formed. An ‘invitation-only’ team was put together and made up of, arguably, the top women playing the game at the time. The team was named WIVERN and toured throughout England and France. The team finished the tour undefeated. Many of these players went on to be selected for the 1991 World Cup Team.

In 1987 the USA women's national team was officially born with their first match against the Canadian women's national team. Although the women were not permitted to wear the Eagle logo, this match was sanctioned by Rugby Canada and USA Rugby. USA and Canada began holding an annual match, which became known as the CanAm series. For ten years the Women Eagles went undefeated in this test series.^{[citation needed]}

In 1990, the women's national team, competing under the name “USA Presidents 15,” traveled to New Zealand to compete in the historic Women's World Rugby Festival. The WNT posted a record of 3–1 with their only loss coming at the hands of New Zealand. In 1991 the first Women's Rugby World Cup was held in Cardiff, Wales. Coached by Beantown's Kevin O’Brien, a Welshman himself, and Minnesota's Chris Leach, a South African the stage was set for the US women to bring home the Cup. Defeating New Zealand in semi-final play, the USA women advanced to the finals where they defeated England. Also in 1991 the first woman was elected to serve on the USARFU Board of Directors. Jamie Jordan was elected Treasurer for the Board.^{[citation needed]}

In 1997, The U23 women's national team was formed. USA Women's National Team Head Coach Franck Boivert appointed Penn State Coach Peter Steinberg to be Head Coach for the U23 Women's National Team program. At an event in the CanAm Series the US Women's National Team celebrated their 10-year anniversary by cheering on the Women's U23 National Team in their first test against Canada.

The USA Women's National Team XVs finished fourth at Rugby World Cup 2017 in Ireland which earned them automatic qualification to the next World Cup in New Zealand in 2021. In early 2018, the program hired former Women's National Team player Emilie Bydwell to serve as its General Manager of Women's High Performance.^[4] Soon after in May, Rob Cain was appointed full-time Head Coach and has since helped lead the program in a new direction.

The Women's National Team Program fields a number of age-grade and development programs including the High School All-Americans (U18), Under-20s, Collegiate All-Americans and USA Selects. All age-grade and development programs are umbrellaed under the national team program and serve as a feeder to the senior Women's Eagles.

See List of United States women's national rugby union team matches

Full internationals only

Correct as of 11 October 2024

Opponent	First game	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Win %
Australia	1997	8	6	0	2	75%
Canada	1987	46	19	0	27	41.3%
England	1991	21	1	0	20	4.76%
France	1996	14	2	1	11	14.29%
Ireland	1994	9	5	0	4	55.56%
Italy	2012	4	2	0	2	50%
Japan	1994	4	3	1	0	75%
Kazakhstan	2010	2	2	0	0	100%
Netherlands	1990	3	3	0	0	100%
New Zealand	1990	16	1	0	14	6.25%
Russia	1998	1	1	0	0	100%
Samoa	2023	1	1	0	0	100%
Scotland	1998	7	5	0	2	71.43%
South Africa	2009	6	5	0	1	83.33%
Soviet Union	1990	2	2	0	0	100%
Spain	1998	4	4	0	0	100%
Sweden	1994	1	1	0	0	100%
Wales	1993	4	4	0	0	100%
Total	1987	153	67	2	84	43.79%

Rugby World Cup
Year	Round	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	Squad
1991	Champions	4	4	0	0	79	6	Squad
1994	Runners-up	5	4	0	1	387	53	Squad
1998	Runners-up	5	4	0	1	200	76	Squad
2002	7th place	4	2	0	2	124	43	Squad
2006	5th place	5	4	0	1	87	47	Squad
2010	5th place	5	3	0	2	136	82	Squad
2014	6th place	5	2	0	3	95	139	Squad
2017	4th place	5	2	0	3	128	135	Squad
2021	Quarter-final	4	1	0	3	65	100	Squad
2025	Qualified
2029	TBD
2033	Automatically Qualified as Hosts
Total	Champions	42	26	0	16	1301	681	Squad
Champion   Runner-up   Third place   Fourth place * Tied placing † Best placing Home venue

On September 14, Head Coach, Sione Fukofuka, announced the Eagles 30-player squad to travel to the WXV 1 competition.^[5]

Player	Position	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Club/province
Alev Kelter	Centre	(1991-03-21)21 March 1991 (aged 33)	23	Loughborough Lightning
Alivia Leatherman	Prop	(2002-08-09)9 August 2002 (aged 22)	5	Life West Gladiatrix
Atumata Hingano	Centre	(1998-08-02)2 August 1998 (aged 25)	6	USA Sevens
Bulou Mataitoga	Fullback	(1994-04-08)8 April 1994 (aged 30)	18	Loughborough Lightning
Cassidy Bargell	Scrum-half	(1999-12-28)28 December 1999 (aged 24)	2	Beantown RFC
Catie Benson	Prop	(1992-02-10)10 February 1992 (aged 32)	45	Sale Sharks
Charli Jacoby	Prop	(1989-10-09)9 October 1989 (aged 34)	29	Exeter Chiefs
Cheta Emba	Fullback	(1993-07-16)16 July 1993 (aged 31)	9	USA Sevens
Emerson Allen	??		1	Life West Gladiatrix
Emily Henrich	Centre	(1999-11-10)10 November 1999 (aged 24)	18	Leicester Tigers
Erica Jarrell	Prop	(1999-02-25)25 February 1999 (aged 25)	10	Sale Sharks
Gabby Cantorna	Fly-half	(1995-08-02)2 August 1995 (aged 29)	30	Exeter Chiefs
Hallie Taufo'ou	Second row	(1994-05-26)26 May 1994 (aged 30)	19	Loughborough Lightning
Hope Rogers	Prop	(1993-01-07)7 January 1993 (aged 31)	47	Exeter Chiefs
Joanne Fa'avesi	??	(1992-02-05)5 February 1992 (aged 32)	7	USA Sevens
Kate Zackary (c)	Number 8	(1989-07-26)26 July 1989 (aged 35)	37	Ealing Trailfinders
Kathryn Treder	Hooker	(1996-03-13)13 March 1996 (aged 28)	22	Loughborough Lightning
Keia Mae Sagapiolu	Prop	(2000-05-12)12 May 2000 (aged 24)	11	Leicester Tigers
Kris Thomas	??	(1993-07-01)1 July 1993 (aged 31)	11	USA Sevens
Maya Learned	Prop	(1996-01-01)1 January 1996 (aged 28)	13	Colorado Gray Wolves
McKenzie Hawkins	Fly-half	(1997-01-08)8 January 1997 (aged 27)	17	Colorado Grey Wolves
Paige Stathopoulos	Hooker	(1993-08-23)23 August 1993 (aged 31)	10	Beantown RFC
Rachel Ehrecke	Flanker	(1999-12-06)6 December 1999 (aged 24)	15	Colorado Grey Wolves
Rachel Johnson	Flanker	(1991-02-05)5 February 1991 (aged 33)	29	Exeter Chiefs
Sophie Pyrz	??		2	Life West Gladiatrix / Rhinos
Summer Harris-Jones	??	(1996-06-27)27 June 1996 (aged 28)	4	USA Sevens
Tahlia Brody	Back row	(1994-09-10)10 September 1994 (aged 30)	12	Leicester Tigers
Taina Tukuafu	Scrum-half	(2001-08-18)18 August 2001 (aged 23)	10	Berkeley All Blues
Tess Feury	Fullback	(1996-03-15)15 March 1996 (aged 28)	28	Leicester Tigers
Tessa Hann	??		1	Colorado Gray Wolves

Two former Eagles have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame: Patty Jervey and Phaidra Knight.

Patty Jervey was inducted in 2014. She was the first player to play in five Women's Rugby World Cups. She won the inaugural tournament in 1991 and appeared in the 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006 editions. She made her Eagles debut in 1989 and has won 40 caps, and scored 178 points.^[6][7]

Phaidra Knight was inducted in 2017. She has been capped 35 times for the Eagles and has appeared at three Women's Rugby World Cups – 2002, 2006 and 2010. She was named USA Rugby Player of the Decade in 2010. Knight also represented the USA Women's Sevens, from 2006 to 2009.^[8][9]

The following United States players have been recognized at the World Rugby Awards since 2001:^[10]

This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (April 2024)

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