Two extraordinary records will be broken at CPKC Stadium on Friday night, as the USA Women’s Eagles face rival Canada in the opening match of the 2025 Pacific Four Series.
The purpose-built women’s sports stadium will host a record-setting crowd for a standalone Women’s rugby event in the United States, more than doubling the previous record with tickets nearing sellout. Hope Rogers will also start in the No. 1 jersey and earn her 52nd international selection, breaking the Women’s Eagles all-time career cap record held by Jamie Burke for over a decade. Friday evening is staged to be a spectacular night of rugby celebration, all headlined by one of the best rivalries in the game. USA vs Canada kicks off at 8:30pm ET, live on RugbyPass TV.
Beyond the festivities, the USA is first and foremost focused on competing after a close loss to Japan last week. Head Coach Sione Fukofuka said on the second match of the spring tour, “The loss last week was disappointing for the team and players and staff have been honest in their reviews process. The focus this week has been on getting the details right and being consistent in our actions on and off the ball. We have been working hard at our physicality and being more explosive in our contact, while looking to be decisive with our decision making and game management.
Speaking on Roger’s record, Fukofuka commented, “Hope is humble as a person and works so hard on and off the field it’s easy to celebrate her success. She is a world class player, selected in the 2024 World Rugby Dream Team, and is a great team mate who is helping to push standards and supporting the team to be successful. Hope has been a mainstay of the team for over a decade and is playing some of the best rugby of her career, which is a testament to her commitment to the team and playing for her country.”
Sevens star Ilona Maher is also named to the starting roster at center, this will be Maher’s third USA Eagles fifteens cap and first return to the international pitch since winning bronze at the Paris Olympics. More sevens representation is also selected as Nicole Heavirland is named to the reserves. Heavirland has also joined the fifteens ranks following the Paris games and searching for her first cap since the 2017 Rugby World Cup in Ireland. Lindenwood Lions Freda Tafuna and Taina Tukuafu round out the final roster changes from last week’s fixture.
This is also a homecoming for USA captain Kate Zackary, who was born in Kansas City and went to college near Kansas City. Her parents still live in Wichita.
"I think it's it's a unique opportunity," Zackary said of being able to represent the USA near her home. "Growing up in Kansas. You had just your kind of main sports, you know your footballs, your soccers, and things like that. So a sport like rugby wasn't big at all when I was growing up. I found it in university, picked it up a little bit, but when I left to pursue sevens I was just playing for a small Women's club team, and I think the closest team was in St. Louis, so we had to drive four to five hours for the closest game. What's great is, we're coming back to Kansas, and we're spreading the love for a new sport which for me in particular; it's cool to be able share a passion of mine with some of the same people who I grew up playing soccer with"
