Eagle Women Ready for South Africa at Boks' National Stadium

07.01.2026Eagles

Freda Tafuna will be unleashed. Photo David Hughes.

Author: Alex Goff

USA Women's 15s Head Coach Jack Hanratty has named his roster to face South Africa at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on the 4th of July.

Hanratty named his lineup earlier than he is required to do, but he is confident this is the group to do the job in a test match that he says probably puts the Eagles in underdog status. South Africa, after all, made the knockout rounds of the 2025 Rugby World Cup, while the USA did not.

Kate Zachary returns for her 50th cap after captaining the Ealing Trailfinders to the PWR Final and she just played her final match for a club where she has been a massive influence.

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Getting her 50th on July 4th seems fitting.

"I think it's funny because 50 is going to become normal soon," said Hanratty; Zachary is only the third Eagle to make 50 caps, but the increased schedule for the USA will make it easier going forward. "We look at how Bella Vogel got her first cap against New Zealand ... and [in] five years they could have that, and that shows the growth of the game. I think Kate, I'm sure, would have earned it in PAC 4 and could have had a very special moment in the US, but it wasn't to be, and I think this is a lovely place and a lovely moment for Kate, especially after captaining the Trailfinders last Saturday. As a staff, we need to make decisions that are high performance decisions, and Kate's earned a cap, another cap, and that one is earned out in 50. But it's also such a reward for somebody that's put so much into, into the logo and into this team itself, and, and hopefully this program can continue to grow with leaders like that has laid such an incredible foundation."

Meanwhile, former Davenport star Ashley Cowdrey, who has already been capped in 7s, gets her first cap in 15s. Telesi Uhtafe will get her first USA start. And Caroline Cook, who had seemed to be struggling to be noticed last year, will be on the bench and could earn her first cap.

The lineup sees Georgia Perris-Redding at captain and she is part of a truly imposing back row that includes Zackary and two-time Sorensen Award-winner Freda Tafuna at No. 8.

USA Lineup to Face South Africa July 4, 2026

"I am obviously I'm biased, but I think, you know Freda, Kate are arguably some of the best back rowers in the world," said Perris-Redding. "I mean, I for sure don't want to tackle Freda, one of the best ballcarriers there is. And I think what makes our back row so unique is that each player has a completely unique skill set that brings something different and adds value to this team."

While Tafuna had been playing at #6 last year, Hanratty had her at No. 8 and said she has the ability to be one of the best in the world at that position.

"I think she's stopped being apologetic," said Hanratty, leading those listening to wonder what an unapologetic Tafuna would look like. "Freda is the exact person why joy is an important part of it, because we want Freda to enjoy it. And now Freda is kind of almost done with the joy and is like 'OK, let's let's start winning games, and let's lift up our standards.'"

Georgia Perris-Redding for USA. Photo David Hughes. — Georgia Perris-Redding will captain the USA. Photo David Hughes.

Hanratty didn't make Perris-Redding twist in the wind complimenting herself, and instead did it for her.

"After accepting the captaincy, which we appreciated, Georgie also came to me and said, 'hey, if I'm not good enough to start in this back row, because of who we have, don't, don't worry about it.' And we've gone with that dynamic change in a different look in the bench. If you were to say that the starting back row was Han Humphries, Ina Bailey, and Tessa Hann, I think we would also be excited."

It's a young backline but one that is showing maturity already. We'll have more on that in another article.

Key now is to be fully away of what South Africa can do, at their national stadium.

"I think as a team that they've become way more clinical," Perris-Redding said of the South Africa women's program. "I think in the past South Africa has relied on pure brute force. I think their physicality, their strength has won them games that maybe their rugby IQ or their game plan wouldn't have won them. I think they've become a lot more clinical. It's much clearer now to see what they're trying to play, and it's working for them. And I think we also have to remember, right, this is rugby, and it is a competition of strength, and that they have a solid, solid pack that they rely on heavily that are also now intellectual rugby players."

Hanratty was also careful not to dismiss the Springboks.

"I'd say we're going in as underdogs, and I think Georgie nailed it with 'intellectual,'" Hanratty said. "That was a good word, because I think one of the things that triggered South Africans to enjoy it was they were so innovative at the World Cup. There were things that they were doing, like their 14-player lineout, and now we not only have to match brute force, but we have to be adaptable to rugby intelligence. If we can match them [physically] then for it to be a battle of rugby IQ, I think that is, that is a massive step up for for the women's game."

USA plays South Africa at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on July 4th.

Kickoff 7:30AM ET and live on Paramouth+