USA Rugby take encouragement from WXV campaign despite England defeat

The USA Women's Eagles found encouragement in their WXV Global Series campaign despite concluding 2026 with a 55-12 defeat to England at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Head coach Jack Hanratty noted significant progress during his first year in charge, highlighting that the team pushed the world champions during the opening hour. Before the final defeat, the United States had registered four wins out of five matches across the series.

The tournament helped the Eagles rise to sixth in the World Rugby rankings following two victories against Italy alongside wins over Wales and Ireland. Co-captain Georgie Perris-Redding and Hanratty both emphasized the value of testing young players, including breakthrough talent Freda Tafuna and college athletes, as the program targets long-term development ahead of the 2027 Pacific Four Series and the 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup cycle.