women
international women
Freda Tafuna scored the winning try Ireland last Saturday, but that almost never happened USA The International Women’s Eagles all but retired from the game after that Pacific Four Series Competition 2026.
If it wasn’t for USA head coach Jack Hanratty, Tafuna would have hung up her boots as she is during the Women’s Rugby World Cup In 2025, she was “the most physically and mentally exhausted” she had ever been.
The winger performed brilliantly at the tournament held in England, as joint second top scorer with six points to his name. But off the field, it was a very different experience for the 23-year-old.
“It’s a little crazy, initially I was supposed to stop playing USA after PAC4,” she said RugbyPass. “I spoke to Jack about it and I told him the PAC4 would be my last tour in the US because I just didn’t like the sport. If you know Jack, Jack can convince you and he convinced me (to stay). I came to the PAC4 and fell in love with rugby again.
“The coaching staff, the team have been great. I’ve been motivated to go to another World Cup with this staff and team.”
“I was definitely mentally and physically exhausted during the World Cup. I’d probably say it was the most I’ve ever played rugby. I had a lot of disagreements not only with myself but with other things. Then I decided I’d do one more tour and then I’m done.
“Then there was a change with the coaches (the coaching staff changed after that Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025) and I had a date with Jack and met him, his personality is so funny.
“It’s the best to be around because he just knows how to have fun and brings so much joy to our team. Props to Jack, if it wasn’t for him convincing me I probably wouldn’t be here right now.”
Tafuna adds that it’s strange to think she wouldn’t have been a part of the USA’s win over Ireland had she made the decision to retire after this year’s Pacific Four Series: “That’s why I give so much props to Jack. If I wasn’t a part of this, it would definitely be something I would have missed. Being a part of it is the best feeling that we’ve done it.”
Tafuna was the man of the game in the team’s 40-36 win in Dublin where the USA pulled off a brilliant comeback win against Ireland last weekend. They trailed by 12 points at the break, but came back and the win was Tafuna’s favorite moment in a USA jersey.
“It was a surreal moment,” she said. “I think everyone knew the USA was the underdog team and that ‘the USA can never beat a top-five team,’ but we prepared so hard for this. We went at each other. We had so many films (studios) about Ireland. To come away with the win was the craziest moment I’ve ever been in with the USA.
“I think the moment I scored I laughed because I thought ‘wow we can do this and come out of this game with a win’. It was definitely a sweet moment.
“(At halftime) we talked about defense. Nobody went down, everybody was giving each other advice on what we needed to fix on our line and defense. I never talk at halftime, but I was so confident in this game that I actually said something, I talked about the little things we needed to fix and our energy was so high. Our coach’s energy was so high and I think it all carried over into that second half.”
Tafuna adds that the team’s ambition is to get two wins from two matches in Europe and they could do that if they win Wales this saturday.
“The win over Ireland gave us confidence, but I think we know we have to stay humble,” Tafuna said. “Even though we beat Ireland, we didn’t prove we deserved to be in the top six. We want to get two games in Europe and I think if we get away with that it will definitely boost our confidence.”
Tafuna has only been playing rugby for the past seven years, and is competing on the field for the first time in a week. She’s only played in that tournament for seven weeks, but could she be tempted to switch codes to try and bid for a spot on the team for the 2028 LA Games?
She says: “In the beginning it was something (I wanted to have fun), but I think my focus will be on the next World Cup.”
For now, her future is in the XV, and so far she has played at the university level for Lindenwood University. She graduated this summer with a degree in health and wellness and will take the NCTRC (National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification) exam in January, stating that she wants to eventually create a nursing home.
Tafuna, who also added that she would like to play rugby league at some point in her career, is also continuing her career on the field, but was non-committal about her club rugby future which is currently up in the air.
“It’s still on the table,” she says. “I’m not too sure where I’ll be so I can’t answer that.”
