International Rugby News
(USA Rugby Press Release)—USA Women’s Eagles Head Coach, Sione Fukofuka announced today his plans to step away from his role with USA Rugby.
Fukofuka was appointed Head Coach in November of 2023, before leading the Women’s fifteens to Rugby World Cup 2025 qualification and broadly supporting a re-energized High Performance Pathway.
The USA men put together an improved performance in their second pool game in the Pacific Nations Cup, and while Japan won the game, there were some steps forward for the Eagles.
Japan was expected to be fast and to offload well and to be difficult in the kicking game. Most of that came to pass, although the USA kicking game seemed much improved Saturday in Sacramento.
Faced with the task of having to win by a massive amount over Samoa and having to hope Australia lost by a massive amount to England, the USA didn't get enough of the massives to do the job.
With a different captain and some other lineout changes, the USA Men’s team is looking to regather some momentum against Japan on Saturday.
Japan is certainly favored, and the likelihood is that the Eagles will be playing Samoa next week in Denver for 5th.
That game will be a winner-take-all for a Rugby World Cup 2027 place.
Jason Damm will captain the USA as they get set to meet Japan September 6 at 6PM PT, 9PM ET at Heart Health Park in Sacramento, Calif.