Falcons Another Bonanza of Challenges for International-Level Hopefuls

08.13.2026Eagles

Brazil vs USA Falcons. Photo Rugby Brasil.

Author: Alex Goff

The trip to Brazil produced pretty much what it needed to.

The USA Women's Falcons return from São Paulo, Brazil with a 19-7 win and a 14-12 loss against the Brazilian women's national team.

The tour gave these young and aspiring Eagles a taste of what playing a good-quality senior women's national team is like. More than half of the roster of 28 are playing college rugby or just graduated. About five more are just a year or so out of college.

Three players, Bella Vogel, Maddie Hubbell, and Reece Moody, were on the recent USA U20 tour.

So, yes, this was a largely inexperienced and young team.

Brazil were going to find success by being simply tougher and meaner than the tourists.

In the opening match, on August 8, Denver Onyx wing Makayla Wilkins scored to stake her side to a 5-0 lead. A little beat up in the first half the Falcons responded in the second half with tried from Tahlia Brody (one of the most experienced senior players on the side), and Long Island University speedster Sayler Russell both scored, with Vogel converting.

Final score 19-7.

In the second match August 12, Brazil again took the fight to the Americans. With their forwards doing well at the point of contact they scored two tries to lead 14-0 at the halftime break.

Some adjustments at second half led to tries from former Lindenwood standout Morgan Freeman and recent Dartmouth leader Katelyn Walker.

Just the one conversion from Vogel and Brazil won 14-12.

"Tours like this are crucial for expanding our pool of international-caliber talent and developing the USA style of play," said Head Coach Orlando Pulou. "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."

So that's 74 rugby players who have toured with a USA women's national team of some level, so far this year. Seven made more than one team's tour (Vogel, for example, was on three, senior Eagles, U20s, and Falcons).

And there's also a U23 assembly going on, followed by the Eagles back in action.

All of this provides key minutes for the players and gives the Eagle coaching staffs a chance to seem them play in challenging matches.