 | |||
| Nickname | Eagles | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Emblem | Bald eagle | ||
| Union | USA Rugby | ||
| Head coach | Scott Lawrence | ||
| Captain | AJ MacGinty | ||
| Mostcaps | Todd Clever (76) | ||
| Top scorer | Mike Hercus (465) | ||
| Top try scorer | Vaea Anitoni (26) | ||
| Home stadium | Various | ||
| |||
| World Rugby ranking | |||
| Current | 15 (as of September 29, 2025) | ||
| Highest | 12 (2018, 2019) | ||
| Lowest | 20 (2008, 2022) | ||
| First international | |||
 United States 8–12Australia  (California,United States; November 16, 1912) | |||
| Biggest win | |||
 United States 91–0Barbados  (California,United States; July 1, 2006) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
 England 106–8United States(London,England, August 21, 1999) | |||
| World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 9 (first in1987) | ||
| Best result | Pool stage (1987,1991,1999,2003,2007,2011,2015,2019) | ||
Medal record | |||
| Website | usa.rugby | ||
TheUnited States men's national rugby union team, nicknamed theEagles, represents theUnited States in men's internationalrugby union competitions.USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States, and is a member ofRugby Americas North, one of six regional governing bodies underWorld Rugby. Until rugby returned to Olympic competition, withsevens at the2016 Rio Games, the United States was the reigning Olympic rugby champion, having won gold at the1920 and1924Summer Olympics.
As of November 2024,[update] the men's Eagles are ranked 15th in the world by theWorld Rugby Rankings.[1] Their previous highest ranking was 12th, achieved ahead of the2019 World Cup. The team's lowest ranking was 20th, first following a winless campaign in the2008 Churchill Cup and second for a single week in 2022 during the2023 World Cup qualifying tournament.
The highest profile tournament in which the men's Eagles play is theRugby World Cup. The men's Eagles have played in all but two Rugby World Cups since the tournament began in 1987. The United States is hosting the2031 Rugby World Cup.[2]
The United States currently compete in thePacific Nations Cup every Summer. Previously, the U.S. has competed in the now-defunctChurchill Cup and the Pan American Championship.[3] In April 2015, USA Rugby announced the creation of a new, annual International Championship to be contested among the top-6 ranked rugby nations in the Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Uruguay and the United States. The contest was named theAmericas Rugby Championship and began in2016 with the final tournament taking place in2019.[4] The United States won the2017 Americas Rugby Championship after drawing withArgentina XV. It was the United States' first 15-a-side rugby union title in over 90 years.
Informal football games such as rugby became popular in the United States in the mid-19th century. Rugby union was played as early as 1872 among rugby clubs in theSan Francisco Bay Area composed mainly of British expatriates. On December 2, 1882, the firstCalifornian representative rugby team to play an outside opponent, took on a group of rugby-playing ex-Britons, who called themselves the Phoenix Rugby Club of San Francisco. California lost to the Phoenix club 7–4.
The first recorded rugby game in the U.S. was played in May 1874 when localHarvard University hostedCanadianMcGill University.[5] The game sparked an interest on college campuses nationwide. In 1876 Yale, Harvard,Princeton, andColumbia formed the Intercollegiate Football Association, which largely used the rugby code.[6] In 1886 Harvard's Oscar Shafter Howard introduced these rules to the campus of theUniversity of California, Berkeley.
American football was fierce, and as injuries mounted, the public became alarmed at its brutalities and President Theodore Roosevelt threatened to outlaw the sport.[7] Beginning in 1906, rugby union became the game of choice atStanford University,University of California, Berkeley and several other colleges in California.[8] Rugby's popularity, however, was short lived, and the sport had died out by the outbreak of World War I.
A California student team toured Australia and New Zealand in 1910, and invited their hosts to return the visit.[9] Australia obliged by touring North America in 1912, and the U.S. national team playedits first international match on November 16, 1912 againstAustralia in Berkeley, California. The visitors won 12–8.[10] A year later, the U.S. hostedNew Zealand at the same venue on November 15, 1913, but the Kiwis ran away with the contest 51–3 in front of 10,000 spectators.[9]
Following the end ofWorld War I, the U.S. participated in theInter-Allied Games where they defeated Romania, before losing to a France XV side, a match in which no caps were awarded.[11] Rugby union had not been played competitively in most of the U.S. for more than a decade before the1920 Olympics. The U.S. Olympic committee decided that because "California is the only state playing Rugby in the US, the Committee will give sanction but no financial aid". Harry Maloney, coach at Stanford University and then-president of the California rugby union, assembled a mostly California-based team, with seven players from Stanford, six from theUniversity of California, Berkeley and five fromSanta Clara University.[12][13][14][15] The Olympic Games Committee of theAmateur Athletic Union paid the expenses to transport the team from California to the games in Antwerp.[16] By the time the US Rugby team arrived in Europe, Czechoslovakia and Romania had withdrawn from the competition.France and the U.S. were the only teams left to compete. The U.S. won a shock 8–0 victory over France to earn the gold medal.
The stunned French suggested that the U.S. team tour France, which they did; winning three out of the four matches they played. Between 1920 and 1924, however, rugby union virtually disappeared once again in the U.S., as American football soared in popularity.
The1924 Paris Olympics caused France to challenge the U.S. to defend its title. Once again, the U.S. Olympic Committee granted permission but no funds. Nonetheless, seven players of the 1920 team dusted off their boots, raised $20,000, found 15 new players including some American football players who had never played in a rugby union match. The assembled U.S. team was again based heavily from Northern California, with 9 Stanford alumni, 5 from Santa Clara, and 3 from Cal.[15] The team headed for England to play some tuneup matches, where they were beaten four times.
The French Olympic Committee (FOC) had scheduled the rugby event to kick off the 1924 Paris Games at Colombes Stadium in Paris. Romania and the U.S. were expected to provide only token opposition for the European champions. On Sunday, May 11, the U.S. defeated Romania 39 to 0, including nine tries.
The final was played at Colombes Stadium on May 18 before an estimated crowd of 30,000–50,000 that had gathered to watch the rugby final and the awarding of the first medal of the 1924 Olympics.[15][17] Bookmakers set the odds at five to one with a 20-point spread.[18] However, the Americans were not intimidated, and the American captain Babe Slater wrote in his diary before the match "we are sure going to let them know they have been in a battle."[15] Despite the odds, the U.S. team started well, led by captain Colby "Babe" Slater, and led 3–0 at the half. Heavy tackling by the Americans, derived from American football, intimidated and exhausted the French, as the U.S. scored four tries in the second half to defeat the French 17–3.[19] Rare vintage film footage of the 1924 gold medal match was released in the documentary, "A Giant Awakens: the Rise of American Rugby".
Shortly after the 1924 Olympics, however, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) removed rugby union as an Olympic sport. Without the Olympic incentive, the sport's growth in America collapsed and the game remained dormant.
The sport then enjoyed a renaissance, beginning in the 1960s and continuing through the 1970s. This created the need for a national governing body to represent the United States in the international rugby community. The United States of America Rugby Football Union (now known as USA Rugby) was formed in 1975 by four territorial organizations (Pacific Coast, West, Midwest, and East).[20] The first Eagles match was played against Australia in 1976, before a crowd of 7,000 atGlover Stadium in Anaheim.[20][21][22] The Wallabies won 24–12.[20][21]
The U.S. also performed well against France in Chicago, losing the game 14–33, in front of 8,000 fans.[23] The next season the Eagles played two internationals, one against England (XV-not capped) atTwickenham on their1977 United States rugby union tour of England, which they lost 37–11, and the other against Canada, which they also lost, 17–6. The U.S. played the Canadians again in 1978, and defeated them 12–7 in Baltimore.[24] They then travelled to Canada in 1979 and lost 19–12 in Toronto.
The U.S. national team came to further prominence during the 1980s, and from the start of the decade, were playing a notably larger number of games every season. They did however lose all three of their games in 1980, all at home. They could not muster up a win in 1981 either, losing 3–6 to Canada, and 7–38 to South Africa, in what was considered to be the lowest attended international rugby match, with only 30 spectators present at a private polo ground inGlenville, New York.[25][26] In 1982, the U.S. drew Canada 3–3. They travelled to Australia in 1983 to play the Wallabies, and lost 49–3 in Sydney. The U.S. played its first-ever match against Japan in 1985, winning 16–15 at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium.[27]
The U.S. participated in 1987 in thefirst ever Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and Australia. The U.S. were in Pool 1, alongside co-hosts Australia, England and Japan. The U.S. won their first ever World Cup game, defeating Japan 21–18 at Ballymore Stadium in Brisbane, with fullback Ray Nelson scoring 13 points.[28] The U.S. lost both subsequent matches; 47–12 against the Wallabies and 34–6 against England. The U.S. finished third in the pool, out of contention for the quarterfinals.
The Eagles first met Wales at Cardiff in November 1987 as the final match of their1987 tour, where Wales, who had just finished third in the inaugural Rugby World Cup, enjoyed a 46–0 win. In 1988, the Eagles had mixed success in their tour of Europe, defeating Romania but losing to the Soviet Union.[29]
The U.S. notched three consecutive wins from September 1990 to May 1991 — all against Japan — for the first three-match win streak in U.S. team history.[30]
The U.S. made their way through a qualifying tournament to reach the1991 Rugby World Cup in the United Kingdom, pooled with defending champions New Zealand, hosts England, and Italy in a tough group. In their first match of the tournament, Italy defeated them 30–9. Next, New Zealand defeated them 46–6. Hosts England won 37–9 at Twickenham. The U.S. finished fourth in the pool.
The Eagles came close to beating an Australian XV side, at Riverside in 1993, losing 22–26.[31]
In round one of the Americas qualifying tournament for the1995 Rugby World Cup the U.S. defeated Bermuda 60–3 to advance to round two. Argentina defeated the Eagles twice in close games in the series to qualify, leaving the U.S. missing out on the1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa.
The Eagles had a successful tour of Europe in 1998, beating Spain and Portugal.[29] Also in 1998, the U.S. played Fiji for the first time, losing 9–18 in Suva.[32]
The Eagles set out to qualify for the1999 Rugby World Cup in Wales. In round four of the Americas qualifying tournament in Buenos Aires, the United States lost 52–24 to Argentina and 31–14 to Canada, but defeated Uruguay 21–16 in their last game to qualify for the 1999 tournament. The U.S. played in the 1999 Pacific Rim Championship, notching its first-ever victories over Fiji (25–14) and Tonga (30–10).[32]
However, the Eagles subsequently suffered their heaviest defeat ever, losing 106–8 to England in a warmup match before the1999 Rugby World Cup.[33][34]
The Eagles entered the1999 Rugby World Cup in pool E alongside Australia, Ireland and Romania. In their first game, the United States went down 53–8 to Ireland. They then lost to Romania 27–25. Australia defeated the Eagles 55–19 in their final game of the tournament, seeing the Eagles finish fourth in the pool. The Eagles, however, had the honor of being the only side to score a try against the eventual champions, Australia, during the entire tournament.[35]
Inqualifying matches for the 2003 Rugby World Cup the U.S. finished third in the Americas. The U.S. won the repechage and qualified for the 2003 tournament by beatingSpain 62–13 and 58–13. The Super Powers Cup was first contested in 2003 between Japan, Russia and the United States.[36] The U.S. then followed up with victories overJapan and Canada. This was the first time the Eagles had won four consecutive tests since making their international debut in 1976.[30]
At the2003 Rugby World Cup the Eagles finished fourth of five in their pool. In the first match against Fiji, the Americans led 13–3 early in the second half, but Fiji regained the lead and secured a 19–18 win, with the Eagles suffering their ninth consecutive World Cup loss. The U.S. then lost to Scotland. The Americans defeated Japan 39–26, behind 17 points by Mike Hercus, for their first win in a Rugby World Cup since 1987 (also against Japan).[37] The U.S. closed the tournament with a loss to France, concluding the tournament with a 1–3 record.
The 2004 Super Powers Cup saw the addition of Canada. The U.S. beat Russia in the third-place play-off. The U.S.toured Europe in November 2004, losing 55–6 to Ireland and 43–25 to Italy. The 2005 Super Cup took part between the U.S., Canada, Japan and Romania. The U.S. lost 30–26 to Canada but beat a Romanian team stripped of their France-based players 23–16 in the third place play-off.
The U.S. campaign toqualify for the2007 Rugby World Cup began in 2006. The U.S. lost 56–7 to Canada, resulting in a home/away play-off against Uruguay. The U.S. defeated Uruguay 42–13 in the first match and 26–7 in the second to send them through to the Rugby World Cup.[38]
In the2007 Rugby World Cup, the U.S. joined England, Samoa, South Africa and Tonga in Pool A. The Eagles, ranked 13th in the world standings, lost all 4 games inPool A, scoring 1 bonus point in the game against Samoa. Coached by New ZealanderPeter Thorburn, the Eagles started off with tough match against the defending world champions England, losing 28–10. The U.S. was then beaten by Tonga 25–15, lost to Samoa 25–21, and lost their final match to highly favored South Africa 64–15. The Eagles, however, had a major highlight in the South Africa match. After aTodd Clever interception and a pair of passes,Takudzwa Ngwenya sped down the sideline and outran the speedsterBryan Habana to score a try that received Try of the Year honors at the 2007IRB Awards.[39]
Following the resignation ofScott Johnson, on March 5, 2009Eddie O'Sullivan was named the new national coach.[40]
The Eagles finished a solid 2009 campaign at a mark of 4–5, with a 4–3 record in full internationals. In the2009 Churchill Cup, the Eagles lost to Ireland and Wales, but defeated Georgia to take home the Bowl.[41]
The Eagles split aWorld Cup qualifying series with Canada, but lost on aggregate points. The Eagles then faced Uruguay in a two-game playoff. In November 2009, the United States booked their place at the2011 Rugby World Cup with two wins againstUruguay, winning the home leg 27–6 in Florida.[42]
The Eagles played 7 matches in 2010: 3 home matches in June at the Churchill Cup, finishing with a 1–2 record, and 4 matches in Europe in the Fall, finishing 1–3.In the June2010 Churchill Cup, the US beat Russia 39–22, before losing to the England Saxons 32–9 and France A 24–10. For theNovember 2010 tests, the Eagles traveled to Europe. The Eagles defeatedPortugal 22–17,[43] but lost toScotland A 25–0,[44] and lost toGeorgia 19–17.[45] The Eagles finished 2010 ranked 16th in the world,[46] and with a record in test matches of 2 wins (Russia, Portugal) and 1 loss (Georgia).
The buildup to the2011 Rugby World Cup started in June with three matches in theChurchill Cup. The Eagles dropped their first matches to theEngland Saxons 87–8[47] and toTonga 44–13,[48] before defeating Russia 32–25.[49] 2011 was the final Churchill Cup.[50]The Eagles finalized their2011 Rugby World Cup preparations with three test matches in August.[51] The Eagles lost to Canada 28–22,[52] lost their second match against Canada 27–7.[53] and lost to Japan 20–14. The Eagles had a 1–5 record in test matches for the year in their preparations for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.[54]
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In their2011 Rugby World Cup opening match againstIreland the Eagles defense initially held, before conceding their first try at the 39' mark. The final tally was 22–10.[55]The Eagles came into the World Cup with their measuring mark for success as being a win over Russia. The Americans took a 10–3 lead into the half, and held on to win 13–6.[56]For their third match, Australia dominated, leading to the final result of 67–5, the worst defeat a U.S. team has ever suffered to Australia.[57]The final match saw the Eagles playingItaly for a third-place finish in Pool C. The Italians finished with a 27–10 victory.[58] The defeat marked the end of the 2011 Rugby World Cup for the U.S.
The Eagles finished 2011 with a record of 2–7 in full tests. The performances in the Rugby World Cup showed improvement, and the win over Russia left the team with a 1–3 RWC record and feeling as a modest success. The World Cup also saw propMike MacDonald become both the most capped Eagle in World Cup play (11 caps) and the most capped Eagle of all time at 65 caps. Also notable was the performance of lockJohn van der Giessen, who achieved the most lineout steals of all players in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, despite appearing in only three matches.[59]
The Eagles played three matches in North America during the2012 June international window. This was a regular series of international tests for the United States against Tier 1 (Italy) and Tier 2 (Canada, Georgia) opponents, as the Churchill Cup is no longer held. The highlights of the June tests were a win over higher-ranked Georgia, and a match against Italy atBBVA Compass Stadium in Houston that drew a record crowd of 17,214.[60]The Eagles also played three matches in Europe during theNovember 2012 tests. The Eagles finished their European tour with 2 wins (Romania, Russia) and 1 loss (Tonga) — the first time since 1998 that the Eagles had concluded a European tour with a winning record — and improved in ranking from 17th to 16th.[29]
The U.S. played five matches during the June 2013 international test window, with one test match against Ireland and four matches as part of the2013 IRB Pacific Nations Cup. The U.S. started with competitive matches against Canada (9–16), Ireland (12–15), and Tonga (9–18), but finished with double-digit losses against Fiji (10–35) and Japan (20–38), and sliding to #18 in the rankings.In August 2013, the U.S. played a home-and-away series against Canada as part ofqualifying for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. The U.S. lost both matches by an aggregate score of 20–40, meaning the U.S. must play Uruguay in 2014 as part of 2015 RWC qualifying.In November 2013, the U.S. lost 19–29 to theMāori All Blacks atPPL Park in Philadelphia before a sold-out crowd of 18,500.[61]
Throughout late 2013 and early 2014, a number of U.S. players signed contracts to play professionally overseas. Of the players called into the U.S. national team in March 2014 for two home-and-away2015 Rugby World Cup qualifying matches against Uruguay, 14 of the 26 were playing professionally overseas, with 10 playing professionally in England.[62]The Eagles defeated Uruguay 59–40 on aggregate over two tests during 2014 to qualify for the2015 Rugby World Cup. During the June 2014 test window, the U.S. played competitive matches against higher ranked Scotland and Japan, and the test window culminated with a 38–35 victory over Canada. Subsequently, in November 2014 the Eagles were defeated 74–6 by New Zealand in a match played in front of a crowd of more than 61,000 spectators atSoldier Field,Chicago.[63]
The Eagles began a lengthy assembly in build up to the 2015 Rugby World Cup with the2015 Pacific Nations Cup. On July 18, the U.S. dropped the opening PNC match 21–16 toSamoa.[64] The team bounced back to upsetJapan 23–18. The Eagles, however, fell toTonga in the final preliminary match for the PNC 33–19. In the resulting fifth-place match, the Eagles edged rivalCanada 15–13. The victory was the second consecutive over team Canada. Three weeks later, Canada and the U.S. met again in a World Cup warmup match. For the first time, the U.S. laid claim to a three-match win streak over team Canada after defeating the Canadians 41–23.[65] Continuing on the road to the World Cup, the U.S. faced off againstEnglish Premiership sideHarlequins, where the Americans fell to the visitors 24–19.[66] The Eagles returned toSoldier Field to compete against the #2 rankedAustralia Wallabies. The Americans trailed 14–10 at the half. In the second half, the Wallabies capitalized on American errors and pushed the match out of reach: Australia 47, the U.S. 10.[67]
The Professional Rugby Organization (PRO Rugby) began a professional rugby competition in 2016.[68] Five teams played a 10-match schedule from April to July. Each PRO Rugby team had a quota for overseas players and U.S. Eagles internationals.[69][70] The U.S. national team included 14 professionals in the starting lineup for the June 2015 test against Italy — six U.S.-based professionals and eight overseas professionals.[71] PRO Rugby did not last long, however, with the competition folding after only one season.
Professional rugby returned in 2018 with the advent of Major League Rugby, a seven-team competition that runs from April to early July. U.S. head coach Gary Gold called up an all-professional squad for the June 2018 tests, drawing from a mix of Major League Rugby players and overseas professionals. During the June 2018 tests, the U.S. defeated Scotland 30–29 to give the U.S. its first win over a Tier 1 nation since beating France at the 1924 Olympics.[72] In the November tests, the U.S added wins against Canada (42–17), Samoa (30–29), and Romania (31–5) to ensure their longest full international test win streak in team history with 10. The streak ended with a defeat to Ireland in Dublin. In their first match of the2019 Rugby World Cup, they were defeated (45–7) againstEngland.[73]
In 2022, the Eagles failed to qualify for a World Cup for the first time since the 1995 edition having participated in the prior six tournaments.[74] In the Final Qualification Tournament they drew with Portugal 16–16, but as a result of a points difference, Portugal advanced to their second-ever Rugby World Cup.[75] Earlier in thequalification process the U.S. lost a two-game series, 50–34 to Uruguay and then lost by a single point to Chile on aggregate.[74]
The following table shows the results of the U.S. national team during the previous 24 months, as well as upcoming fixtures.
Notes:
| Rank | Change[i] | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |  South Africa | 93.06 |
| 2 | |  New Zealand | 90.33 |
| 3 |  1 | England | 89.09 |
| 4 |  1 |  Ireland | 88.85 |
| 5 | |  France | 87.07 |
| 6 | |  Argentina | 85.30 |
| 7 | | Australia | 81.69 |
| 8 | 1 |  Fiji | 81.03 |
| 9 | 1 |  Scotland | 80.22 |
| 10 | |  Italy | 78.98 |
| 11 | |  Georgia | 74.69 |
| 12 | |  Wales | 74.23 |
| 13 | |  Japan | 72.58 |
| 14 | |  Spain | 69.12 |
| 15 | |  Uruguay | 68.52 |
| 16 | | United States | 68.26 |
| 17 | |  Samoa | 66.94 |
| 18 | |  Chile | 66.72 |
| 19 | |  Tonga | 66.66 |
| 20 | |  Portugal | 64.89 |
| 21 | |  Romania | 62.16 |
| 22 | |  Belgium | 61.81 |
| 23 | |  Hong Kong | 59.61 |
| 24 | |  Canada | 58.85 |
| 25 | |  Zimbabwe | 58.80 |
| 26 | |  Netherlands | 57.01 |
| 27 | |  Namibia | 56.39 |
| 28 | |  Switzerland | 55.26 |
| 29 | |  Poland | 54.36 |
| 30 | 1 |  Czech Republic | 53.39 |
| United_States's historical rankings |
Below is table of the representative rugby matches played by a United States national XV at test level up untilSeptember 15, 2025.[77]
| Opponent | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | Win % | For | Aga | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0% | 136 | 294 | −158 |
| Argentina Jaguars | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 30 | 34 | −4 |
| Australia | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0% | 78 | 368 | −290 |
| Australia XV | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 22 | 26 | −4 |
| Barbados | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 91 | 0 | +91 |
| Belgium | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 36 | 17 | +19 |
 Bermuda | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 60 | 3 | +57 |
 Brazil | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 80% | 200 | 74 | +126 |
| Canada | 67 | 25 | 40 | 2 | 37.31% | 1,246 | 1,547 | −301 |
| Chile | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 75% | 336 | 125 | +211 |
| England | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0% | 93 | 381 | −288 |
| England XV | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0% | 11 | 96 | −85 |
| England A | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0% | 29 | 194 | −165 |
| Fiji | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 14.29% | 100 | 165 | −65 |
| France | 8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 12.5% | 102 | 214 | −112 |
| France XV | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 8 | 0 | +8 |
| Georgia | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 42.86% | 153 | 139 | +14 |
 Germany | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 46 | 17 | +29 |
| Hong Kong | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 50% | 201 | 198 | +3 |
| Ireland | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0% | 125 | 489 | −364 |
| Ireland XV | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 7 | 32 | −25 |
| Ireland Wolfhounds | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0% | 22 | 74 | −52 |
| Italy | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0% | 74 | 154 | −80 |
| Japan | 26 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 50% | 720 | 648 | +72 |
 Kenya | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 68 | 14 | +54 |
| New Zealand | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0% | 29 | 275 | −246 |
| New Zealand XV | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 6 | 53 | −47 |
| Māori | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 6 | 74 | −68 |
| Portugal | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 60% | 140 | 101 | +39 |
| Romania | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 72.73% | 281 | 143 | +138 |
 Russia | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 280 | 110 | +170 |
| Samoa | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 33.33% | 170 | 187 | −17 |
| Scotland | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 14.29% | 103 | 291 | −188 |
| Scotland XV | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 12 | 41 | −29 |
| Scotland A | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 9 | 13 | −4 |
| South Africa | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0% | 42 | 209 | −167 |
 Soviet Union | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 16 | 31 | −15 |
| Spain | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 83.33% | 257 | 95 | +162 |
| Tonga | 11 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 18.18% | 189 | 289 | −100 |
 Tunisia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 47 | 13 | +34 |
| Uruguay | 20 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 75% | 612 | 364 | +248 |
| Wales | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0% | 86 | 305 | −219 |
| Wales XV | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | 18 | 24 | −6 |
| Total | 293 | 109 | 179 | 5 | 37.2% | 6,297 | 7,921 | −1,624 |
The following is a list of U.S.'s wins against Tier 1 countries, including XV sides:
| September 5, 1920 | United States | 8–0 | France XV | Olympisch Stadion,Antwerp | |
| Try:Joseph Hunter Con:Dink Templeton Pen:Dink Templeton | Report | Attendance: 55,000 |
| May 18, 1924 | France | 3–17 | United States | Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir,Colombes | |
| Try:Henri Galau | Report | Try:Jack Patrick Lefty Rogers Linn Farrish (2) Caesar Mannelli Con:Charlie Doe | Attendance: 20,000 |
| February 3, 2018 | United States | 17–10 | Argentina XV | StubHub Center,Carson, California | |
| 17:00 PST | Try:Tony Lamborn 57'm Pen:Will Magie (2/4) 16', 42' Will Hooley (2/2) 70', 77' | Report | Try:Santiago Montagner 38'c Con: Juan Cruz González (1/1) 39' Pen: Juan Cruz González (1/2) 23' | Attendance: 6,500 Referee: Chris Assmus (Canada) |
| June 16, 2018 | United States | 30–29 | Scotland | BBVA Compass Stadium,Houston | |
| Try:Joe Taufete'e (2) 37' c, 42' c Hanco Germishuys 58' c Con:AJ MacGinty (3/3) 38', 43', 60' Pen:AJ MacGinty (3/3) 16', 28', 47' | Report | Try:Blair Kinghorn 1' c Penalty try 24' George Turnere 33' c Dougie Fife 80' m Con:Blair Kinghorn (2/3) 2', 35' Pen:Blair Kinghorn (1/2) 40' | Attendance: 11,300 Referee:Wayne Barnes (England) |
The following table shows the top ten best U.S. results in test matches against Tier 1 opponents.[78][79]
| Pts Diff | Result | Opponent | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| +14 | W (17–3) | France | 1924-05-18 |
| +1 | W (30–29) | Scotland | 2018-06-16 |
| –3 | L (26–29) | Argentina | 1996-09-14 |
| –3 | L (12–15) | Ireland | 2013-06-08 |
| –4 | L (8–12) | Australia | 1912-11-16 |
| –4 | L (20–24) | Italy | 2016-06-18 |
| –5 | L (11–16) | Argentina | 1994-06-20 |
| –5 | L (23–28) | Wales | 1997-07-12 |
| –6 | L (22–28) | Argentina | 1994-05-28 |
The United States' biggest rival isCanada, having played more test matches against Canada than any other nation. The two teams first met in 1977, and have played every year since then with the exceptions of 2010 and 2020, 2022–2023. As of the end of 2025, the two sides have met 67 times, with 25 wins for the U.S., 40 wins for Canada, and 2 draws.
The U.S. and Canada routinely play each other in qualifying matches for the Rugby World Cup. They have met in the qualification stages for every tournament, with the exception of the 1987 invitational tournament and the 1995 tournament, for which Canada had automatically qualified by reaching the quarterfinals in the 1991 Rugby World Cup. Between 2016 and 2019, the teams played each other annually in the now defunctAmericas Rugby Championship.
The United States has qualified for everyRugby World Cup except the 1995 and 2023 tournament. The best result that the U.S. has managed at a Rugby World Cup is to win one game, which it accomplished in 1987, 2003, and again in 2011.
| Rugby World Cuprecord | Qualification | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | Squad | Pos | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | ||
| 1987 | Pool stage | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 99 | Squad | Invited | ||||||||
| 1991 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 24 | 113 | Squad | 3rd | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 29 | 69 | |||
| 1995 | Did not qualify | P/O | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 93 | 47 | |||||||||
| 1999 | Pool stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 52 | 135 | Squad | 3rd | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 59 | 99 | ||
| 2003 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 86 | 125 | Squad | P/O | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 224 | 165 | |||
| 2007 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 61 | 142 | Squad | P/O | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 173 | 76 | |||
| 2011 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 38 | 122 | Squad | P/O | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 84 | 75 | |||
| 2015 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 50 | 156 | Squad | P/O | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 79 | 80 | |||
| 2019 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 52 | 156 | Squad | P/O | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 80 | 44 | |||
| 2023 | Did not qualify | P/O | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 277 | 189 | |||||||||
| 2027 | Qualified | 5th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 70 | 95 | |||||||||
| 2031 | Qualified as Hosts | Automatically qualified | |||||||||||||||
| Total | — | 29 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 402 | 1048 | — | — | 44 | 21 | 3 | 20 | 1171 | 939 | ||
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The Pacific Nations Cup has been held since 2006 and the United States has been a participant in four tournaments.
| Tournament | U.S. record | U.S. finish | Leading U.S. scorer | U.S. wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 0–4 | 5th / 5 | Chris Wyles (19) | — |
| 2014 | 1–1 | 3rd / 6 | Chris Wyles (32) | Canada |
| 2015 | 2–2 | 5th / 6 | AJ MacGinty (44) | Japan, Canada |
| 2019 | 2–1 | 3rd / 6 | AJ MacGinty (28) | Canada, Samoa |
| 2024 | 1–3 | 4th / 6 | Luke Carty (25) | Canada |
| 2025 | 1–2 | 5th / 6 | Luke Carty/Kapeli Pifeleti/AJ MacGinty (10) | Samoa |
The Americas Rugby Championship involved the six highest ranked rugby nations in North and South America (Argentina XV, Brazil, Canada, Chile, United States, and Uruguay). It was first contested in 2016.
| Tournament | U.S. record | U.S. finish | Leading U.S. scorer | U.S. wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2–1–2 | 2nd | James Bird (32) | Canada, Chile |
| 2017 | 4–1–0 | 1st | Ben Cima (36) | Uruguay, Brazil, Canada, Chile |
| 2018 | 5–0–0 | 1st | Will Magie (38) | Argentina XV, Uruguay, Brazil, Canada, Chile |
| 2019 | 3–0–2 | 3rd | Joe Taufete'e (30) | Brazil, Canada, Chile |
Rugby was included as an Olympic sport four times from 1900 to 1924, with the United States winning the last two of those tournaments — 1920 and 1924. After a lengthy absence, rugby returned to the Summer Olympics in 2016, albeit in therugby sevens format.
| Olympics | U.S. finish | U.S. record | Defeated |
|---|---|---|---|
 1900 Paris | (U.S. did not participate) | ||
 1908 London | (U.S. did not participate) | ||
| 1920 Antwerp | Gold | 1–0 | France |
| 1924 Paris | Gold | 2–0 | France, Romania |
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third place | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Canada |  Hong Kong | United States | [80] |
| 1997 | Canada | Hong Kong | Japan | [81] |
| 1998 | Canada | Hong Kong | United States | [82] |
| 1999 | Japan | Western Samoa | United States | [83] |
| 2000 | Fiji | Western Samoa | Tonga | [84] |
| 2001 | Fiji | Western Samoa | Japan | [85] |
| Year | Host nation(s) | U.S. record | U.S. finish / # Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Canada | 1–2 | 2nd / 3 |
| 2004 | Canada | 0–2 | 4th / 4 |
| 2005 | Canada | 1–1 | 3rd / 4 |
| 2006 | Canada & United States | 0–3 | 6th / 6 |
| 2007 | England | 0–3 | 6th / 6 |
| 2008 | Canada & United States | 0–3 | 6th / 6 |
| 2009 | United States | 1–2 | 5th / 6 |
| 2010 | United States | 1–2 | 4th / 6 |
| 2011 | England | 1–2 | 5th / 6 |
| Year | Champion | Second | Third | Fourth | US Record (W–L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Russia | United States | Japan | N/A | 1–1 |
| 2004 | Japan | Canada | United States | Russia | 1–1 |
| 2005 | Canada | Japan | United States | Romania | 1–1 |
Scott Lawrence[86]Alama Ieremia (Attack)Nick Easter (Forwards & Defence) Blake Bradford (Scrum)| Coach | Season(s) | GP | W | D | L | Win % | Championships / notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | November 1912 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | First International test match |
| — | November 1913 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | |
| — | June 1919 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 1–1 at theInter-Allied Games (Match against France XV was uncapped) |
 Harry Maloney (trainer/selector)[12]Daniel Carroll (player/coach)[87] | September 1920 – October 1920 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50% | 1920 Olympic Gold Medal |
| Charlie Austin[88] | May 1924 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 1924 Olympic Gold Medal |
| Dennis Storer[89][90] | January 1976 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% | First U.S. national team coach in the modern era |
| June 1976 – June 1982 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 8.33% | ||
| Ron Mayes[93] | June 1983 – May 1987 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 33.33% | |
| George Hook[94]Ron Mayes | May 1987 – June 1987 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 25% | 1–2 at the 1987 RWC |
| Jim Perkins[95] | November 1987 – October 1991 | 22 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 31.82% | 0–3 at the 1991 RWC |
| Clarence Culpepper[96] | April 1992 – June 1992 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50% | |
| Jack Clark[93][97] | June 1993 – October 1999 | 48 | 16 | 0 | 32 | 33.33% | First coach to fail to qualify for a Rugby World Cup (1995). 0–3 at the 1999 RWC |
| Duncan Hall[98][99] | May 2000 – June 2001 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 33.33% | |
| Tom Billups[100] | December 2001 – June 2005 | 32 | 12 | 0 | 20 | 37.5% | 1–3 at the 2003 RWC |
| Peter Thorburn[101] | June 2006 – September 2007 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 21.43% | 0–4 at the 2007 RWC |
| Scott Johnson[102][103] | June 2008 – November 2008 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 16.67% | |
| Eddie O'Sullivan[104][105] | May 2009 – September 2011 | 19 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 42.11% | 1–3 at the 2011 RWC |
| Mike Tolkin[106] | June 2012 – October 2015 | 34 | 11 | 1 | 22 | 32.35% | 0–4 at the 2015 RWC |
| John Mitchell[107] | February 2016 – July 2017 | 16 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 50% | Americas Rugby Championship:(2017) |
| Dave Hewett[108] | November 2017 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50% | Interim |
| Gary Gold[109] | February 2018 – November 2022 | 34 | 20 | 1 | 13 | 58.82% | Americas Rugby Championship:(2018); 0–4 at the 2019 RWC. Failed to qualify for the 2023 RWC |
| Scott Lawrence[110] | August 2023 – present | 20 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 45% | |
| Total | 1912–present | 293 | 109 | 5 | 179 | 37.2% |
On 17 October, USA named a 35-player squad ahead of theirEnd-of-year matches againstScotland,Georgia andRomania.[111]
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined byWorld Rugby.
| Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club/province |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaleb Geiger | Hooker | (1996-05-04)May 4, 1996 (age 29) | 10 | New England Free Jacks |
| Sean McNulty | Hooker | (1995-10-07)October 7, 1995 (age 30) | 6 | Unattached |
| Mike Sosene-Feagai | Hooker | (1993-04-17)April 17, 1993 (age 32) | 14 | CA Legion |
| David Ainuʻu | Prop | (1999-11-20)20 November 1999 (age 26) | 23 | Toulouse |
| Pono Davis | Prop | (1997-08-04)August 4, 1997 (age 28) | 13 | Unattached |
| Jack Iscaro | Prop | (1997-08-04)4 August 1997 (age 28) | 15 | Stade Français |
| Tonga Kofe | Prop | (1996-02-02)2 February 1996 (age 29) | 6 | Leicester Tigers |
| Ezekiel Lindenmuth | Prop | (1997-07-14)14 July 1997 (age 28) | 7 | Unattached |
| Maliu Niuafe | Prop | 3 | CA Legion | |
| Payton Talea | Prop | (1998-08-17)17 August 1998 (age 27) | 7 | Unattached |
| Jason Damm | Lock | (1995-01-26)26 January 1995 (age 30) | 15 | CA Legion |
| Brandon Harvey | Lock | (2002-06-13)13 June 2002 (age 23) | 1 | Unattached |
| Vili Helu | Lock | (1996-03-20)20 March 1996 (age 29) | 23 | Unattached |
| Tevita Naqali | Lock | (1996-06-21)21 June 1996 (age 29) | 9 | Old Glory DC |
| Rick Rose | Lock | (2001-07-28)28 July 2001 (age 24) | 0 | Unattached |
| Makeen Alikhan | Back row | (2001-10-10)10 October 2001 (age 24) | 7 | Anthem RC |
| Cory Daniel | Back row | (1995-09-11)September 11, 1995 (age 30) | 17 | Old Glory DC |
| Nafi Ma'afu | Back row | (1998-06-18)18 June 1998 (age 27) | 2 | Montauban |
| Christian Poidevin | Back row | (1998-09-09)9 September 1998 (age 27) | 6 | Unattached |
| Marno Redelinghuys | Back row | (1993-01-06)6 January 1993 (age 32) | 9 | Unattached |
| Paddy Ryan | Back row | (1990-12-11)11 December 1990 (age 34) | 10 | Unattached |
| Michael Baska | Scrum-half | (1994-11-17)17 November 1994 (age 31) | 6 | Chicago Hounds |
| Ruben de Haas | Scrum-half | (1998-10-09)9 October 1998 (age 27) | 45 | Unattached |
| Ethan McVeigh | Scrum-half | (1999-12-14)14 December 1999 (age 25) | 7 | Unattached |
| Luke Carty | Fly-half | (1997-09-24)24 September 1997 (age 28) | 27 | Unattached |
| Christopher Hilsenbeck | Fly-half | (1992-01-10)10 January 1992 (age 33) | 5 | Chicago Hounds |
| Dominic Besag | Centre | (2004-08-06)August 6, 2004 (age 21) | 15 | Saint Mary's College |
| Tommaso Boni | Centre | (1993-01-15)January 15, 1993 (age 32) | 11 | Unattached |
| Tavite Lopeti | Centre | (1998-11-20)20 November 1998 (age 27) | 26 | Unattached |
| Erich Storti | Centre | (2000-10-14)14 October 2000 (age 25) | 8 | Anthem RC |
| Malacchi Esdale | Wing | (1995-05-04)May 4, 1995 (age 30) | 0 | Seattle Seawolves |
| Toby Fricker | Wing | (1996-04-15)15 April 1996 (age 29) | 10 | Bristol Bears |
| Lauina Futi | Wing | (1996-01-05)January 5, 1996 (age 29) | 6 | Seattle Seawolves |
| Rufus McLean | Wing | (2000-03-02)March 2, 2000 (age 25) | 6 | Unattached |
| Mark O'Keeffe | Wing | (1993-09-13)September 13, 1993 (age 32) | 4 | Chicago Hounds |
| Mitch Wilson | Fullback | (1996-04-15)15 April 1996 (age 29) | 17 | Anthem RC |
|
Last updated: August 23, 2025. Statistics include officially capped matches only.
|
Last updated: August 23, 2025. Statistics include officially capped matches only.
|
Last updated: November 15, 2025. Statistics include officially capped matches only.
The following United States players have been recognised at theWorld Rugby Awards since 2001:[112]
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The Eagles do not have an official home stadium.Boxer Stadium inSan Francisco was the unofficial home of the Eagles from 1996 to 2000, hosting 12 of their 17 test matches.[113] The Eagles also played several of their home games atInfinity Park inGlendale, Colorado. The Eagles played a home match against a Tier 1 nationevery June from 2012 to 2014, in front of large crowds atBBVA Stadium in Houston, Texas.[114] Since 2012, the Eagles have played at other MLS stadiums, such asTalen Energy Stadium inPhiladelphia and theDignity Health Sports Park inLos Angeles. The Eagles play some of their less high-profile matches at smaller soccer venues.
Below is a table of USA Eagles matches played in the U.S. in which the attendance was greater than 10,000 fans:[115]
| Rank | Attendance | Opponent | Date | Venue | Metro area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 61,500 | New Zealand | 2014-11-01 | Soldier Field (NFL) | Chicago, Ill.[116] |
| 2 | 39,720 | New Zealand | 2021-10-23 | FedEx Field (NFL) | Washington D.C.[117] |
| 3 | 30,051[a] | Māori All Blacks | 2018-11-03 | Soldier Field (NFL) | Chicago, Ill.[118] |
| 4 | 23,212 | Australia | 2015-09-05 | Soldier Field (NFL) | Chicago, Ill.[119] |
| 5 | 22,370 | Ireland | 2017-06-10 | Red Bull Arena (MLS) | New York, N.Y.[120] |
| 6 | 20,181 | Ireland | 2013-06-08 | BBVA Compass Stadium[b] (MLS) | Houston, Tex.[121] |
| 7 | 20,001 | Scotland | 2014-06-08 | BBVA Compass Stadium[b] (MLS) | Houston, Tex.[122] |
| 8 | 19,079 | England | 2025-07-19 | Audi Field (MLS) | Washington D.C.[123] |
| 9 | 18,700 | Māori All Blacks | 2016-11-04 | Toyota Park[c] (MLS) | Bridgeview, Ill.[124] |
| 10 | 18,500 | Māori All Blacks | 2013-11-09 | PPL Park[d] (MLS) | Chester, Pa.[125] |
| 11 | 17,418 | Scotland | 2024-07-12 | Audi Field (MLS) | Washington D.C.[126] |
| 12 | 17,214 | Italy | 2012-06-03 | BBVA Compass Stadium[b] (MLS) | Houston, Tex.[127] |
| 13 | 14,000 | New Zealand XV | 1980-10-08 | San Diego Stadium[e] (NFL) | San Diego, Calif.[128] |
| 14 | 13,591 | Chile | 2016-02-20 | Lockhart Stadium[f] (NASL) | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.[129] |
| 15 | 13,000 | South Africa | 2001-12-01 | Robertson Stadium[g] (FBS) | Houston, Tex.[130] |
| 16 | 11,300 | Scotland | 2018-06-16 | BBVA Compass Stadium[b] (MLS) | Houston, Tex. |
| 17 | 10,241 | Argentina XV | 2016-02-06 | BBVA Compass Stadium[b] (MLS) | Houston, Tex.[131][9] |
| Year | Champion | U.S. result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Argentina Jaguars | 4th | |
| 2010 | Argentina Jaguars | 3rd | |
| 2011 | Not held due to the2011 Rugby World Cup | ||
| 2012 | Argentina Jaguars | 4th | |
| 2013 | Argentina Jaguars | 2nd | |
| 2014 | Argentina Jaguars | 2nd | |
| 2015 | Not held due to the2015 Rugby World Cup | ||
The USA Falcons, formerly the USA Selects is the second national rugby team for the United States. The USA Falcons is a developmental team, usually fielding younger players looking to break into the U.S. national team, and sometimes including amateur domestic U.S. national team players who need more high-level matches.
The USA Selects formerly participated in theAmericas Rugby Championship, when the tournament only featured "A" sides for Argentina, Canada, the United States, and Uruguay. The USA Selects best results in the ARC were their second-place finishes in 2013 and 2014[133][134] Since 2016, the ARC only features an A team from Argentina along with the national sides of Brazil, Canada, Chile, Uruguay, and the United States. The USA Falcons now play in a separate tournament known as theAmericas Pacific Challenge.[135][136]
The U.S. women's national team, officially formed in 1987, has been an international powerhouse since its inception, although more recently have fallen behind other powerhouses such as England and New Zealand on theworld rankings. The Eagles won the first official World Cup in 1991, and finished second in the two following World Cups (1994, 1998). The Eagles have set a high standard for international competition, leading an ensuing wave of women's rugby growth and game development worldwide. The US finished 7th in the 2002 tournament. The women's national team traveled to the United Kingdom in January 2006 to play Scotland, Ireland and England, winning all three games. The 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup was held in Edmonton, Canada.
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