Women's Falcons go 1 and 1 in Brazil

The USA Women's Falcons completed an intense two-match tour in São Paulo, Brazil, taking on the Brazilian Women's Rugby XV national team 'As Yaras' at the Nacional Stadium.

Serving as a developmental platform as part of the USA pathway to build squad depth and test players on the international stage, the series delivered high intensity rugby and challenging contests for both sides. 

The Falcons made a strong statement with a 19-7 victory in their opening match, but the host nation battled back to take the finale despite a strong comeback from the USA to narrow the scoreline 14-12. 

Head Coach, Orlando Pulou commented; 

"Tours like this are crucial for expanding our pool of international-caliber talent and developing the USA style of play. Being exposed to these high-pressure environments help players gel together and learn to make adjustments in game. We had a strong start, and the team showed grit in the second-half comeback of our second half match which will serve these athletes tremendously as they continue their progression in the USA Rugby system."

"These players are very skilled, and possess good rugby knowledge. It's more about being intentional with the smaller details now as we look to align with the senior team's long-term intentions. We want to continue pushing standards, and I think there's still room to grow." 

The Falcons opened the tour with a commanding performance on Saturday the 8th, taking control early. After a physical first half where Makayla Wilkins touched down for the opening try, the Falcons elevated their pace in the second half. Consecutive scores from Tahlia Brody and Sayler Russell stretched the lead to 19–0. A driving maul from Brazil put them on the scoreboard, but the Falcons sealed a convincing 19–7 victory..

Shifting in some personnel in the Matchday 23, the Falcons returned to the Nacional Stadium for the series finale. However, the Yaras came out firing, using their physical forward pack to establish an early lead. Brazil took advantage of early momentum and forward pressure in the first half, scoring two converted tries to build a 14–0 lead at half time.

The Falcons adjusted in the second half, fighting back, and taking advantage of a Brazilian yellow card with 12 minutes remaining. The USA dialed in for the comeback with Morgan Freeman and Katelyn Walker crossed the line in quick succession to pull the Falcons within two points. However, a missed conversion gave Brazil the win with a 14–12 final score.

The Falcons leave São Paulo with valuable international experience, player development, cohesion under pressure, and impressive resilience during their late Match 2 comeback. Building the USA Women's High Performance pathway and facing a strong Brazilian national team, the USA Falcons showcased strong resilience, adaptability, and depth.

Match 1 (August 8th) | USA Falcons v Brazil (W) 19 – 7

Tries: Wilkins, Brody, Russell

Conversions: Vogel (2)

Match 2 (August 12th) | USA Falcons v Brazil (L) 12 – 14

Tries: Freeman, Walker

Conversions: Vogel

Head Coach | Orlando Pulou

Assistant (Defense) | Mel Denham

Assistant (Forwards) | Lissa Jackson

Assistant (Backs/Transition Play) | Jack Hanratty

Strength & Conditioning | Nick Gallagher

Team Medical | Anna Unnasch

Team Medical | Mia Pelton

Team Manager | Louise Stewart