Head Coach Sione Fukofuka announced today the 23 USA Eagles set to run out against South Africa in the USA Women’s Eagles’ first test match of 2024. Fukofuka’s first test as Head Coach, the Springboks come in following a fixture against Spain and competed with the USA in WXV2 last fall.
Hope Rogers makes her return to the USA jersey for the first time in a year following a journey back from injury. Kate Zackary returns as captain, taking on the starting flanker position. On bench, Cassidy Bargell and Amanda Berta have an opportunity to earn their first test cap with the USA Eagles.
Bargell has been on the USA Rugby radar since 2016 when she first stepped onto the USA pitch with the USA U18s in both fifteens and sevens. The Colorado native played college rugby at Harvard, and has joined the senior camp for the first time this year.
Berta first joined the fifteens camp in 2020 following a collegiate championship with Penn State and a successful sevens career, bursting back on the scene through a standout performance with PR7s. Berta is named to her first 23 with hopes for a USA Eagle Number.
Veterans Charli Jacoby and Center Gabby Cantorna will both look to collect their 25th cap during Saturday’s game.
The USA have played South Africa five times since 2009, winning four of those meetings. Their last matchup was during the 2013 Nations Cup in Glendale, Colorado, where the Eagles took a 61-5 win on home soil. South Africa played in the WXV 2 competition with the USA last fall, but the teams did not get a chance to play each other in the window.
USA v South Africa kicks off Saturday, March 30, at 9:00 am ET, live on RugbyPass.
The USA v South Africa match will serve as a warmup ahead of the 2024 Pacific Four Series which gets underway with USA v Canada on home soil. The border battle will take place Sunday, April 28, at DignityHealth Sports Park in Los Angeles. Tickets are available now at usa.rugby/tickets.
“The opportunity to work with an extended squad here in the UK has been invaluable preparation for us. Having the experience of the players in the PWR and Super W, working alongside our younger players and players playing in the WPL and PR7s, has allowed us to prepare well and lay the foundations for a very positive lead in.
Connection of the playing group off field, alignment of the squad on field and clear focus on performance have been the focuses of the past week. We’re making sure we connect our set piece and attack, aligning our defensive principles to give the players confidence, and putting each other under pressure to perform has been a theme.
The players that have earned selection represent the competition within the squad. The strength of the team is reflected by the players that have missed selection. I have been proud of the manner in which the players have competed for the jersey and pushed each other, but also at their openness to sharing their experience and knowledge to support their teammates to benefit the team. We want to make sure our performance is a reflection of the work we have put in and represents the style that we want to be known for; physical, dynamic, and confident to play with the ball.”
| Name | Club | Test Caps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hope Rogers | Exeter Chiefs | 43 |
| 2. Kathryn Treder | Loughborough Lightning | 16 |
| 3. Keia Mae Sagapolu | Leicester Tigers | 6 |
| 4. Erica Jarrell | Sale Sharks | 5 |
| 5. Jenny Kronish | Beantown RFC | 12 |
| 6. Kate Zackary (C) | Ealing Trailfinders | 35 |
| 7. Georgie Perris-Redding | Sale Sharks | 10 |
| 8. Rachel Johnson (VC) | Exeter Chiefs | 25 |
| 9. Olivia Ortiz | Exeter Chiefs | 16 |
| 10. McKenzie Hawkins | Colorado Grey Wolves | 12 |
| 11. Lotte Clapp | Saracens | 13 |
| 12. Gabby Cantorna | Exeter Chiefs | 24 |
| 13. Bulou Mataitoga | Loughborough Lightning | 13 |
| 14. Emily Henrich | Unattached | 12 |
| 15. Tess Feury (VC) | Leicester Tigers | 22 |
| 16. Paige Stathopoulos | Beantown RFC | 4 |
| 17. Catie Benson | Sale Sharks | 40 |
| 18. Charli Jacoby | Queensland Reds | 24 |
| 19. Rachel Ehrecke | Colorado Grey Wolves | 10 |
| 20. Tahlia Brody | Leicester Tigers | 7 |
| 21. Cassidy Bargell | Beantown RFC | Yet to debut |
| 22. Katana Howard | Sale Sharks | 17 |
| 23. Amanda Berta | PR7s Experts | Yet to debut |
Head Coach | Sione Fukofuka
Assistant Coach | Ray Barkwill
Strength & Conditioning | Sylvia Braaten
Strength & Conditioning Intern | Craig West
Operations Director | Sara Al-Aziz
Physio | Susie Gill
Physio | Cerys Preston
Analyst | Caitlin Singletary
Analysis Intern | Jess Wooden
Performance Assistance | Adam Crossman
Team Doctor | Abbie Hamilton
Athletic Trainer | Emily Lauer
Media Manager | Calder Cahill
Liaison | Simon Wickham
World Rugby Coach | Mo Botha
Saturday, March 30 | 9:00 am ET
Trailfinders Sports Club | Ealing, ENG
USA v Canada | April 28
DignityHealth Sports Park | Los Angeles, CA
USA v New Zealand | May 10
FMG Stadium | Hamilton, New Zealand
USA v Australia | May 17
AAMI PARK | Melbourne, Australia
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