women
international women
The USA The female Eagles won Italy 54-24 in Nashville to record their fifth consecutive Test victory.
It was a stunningly brutal performance from Jack Hanratty, who went 12-0 down in the first 15 minutes, while Francesca Granzotto and Francesca Sgorbini went down in the early exchanges.
Soon, the Eagles took commanding control of the match. By halftime, Keia Mae Sagapolu-Sanele had scored twice, while Lauryn Carlton and Freda Tafuna each had one. Bella Vogel was flawless from the kick.
The second half was a bit more competitive but the game was comfortably won by the time Zoë Naude blew the final whistle.
In that second 40 minutes, Tafuna scored two more tries to secure their second WXV Global Series hat-trick. Georgie Perris-Redding scored her fourth try in two games and Kate Zackary added some sparkle to the scoreboard.
The Italians saw team veterans Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi and Beatrice Rigoni depart before full-time. Those results ultimately meant relatively little, and Plinio Sciamanna’s team finished the WXV Global Series with one win from four matches.
Here are three talking points from the Eagles’ eight-run win in Nashville…
Power was important in Nashville
After a tough opening 15 minutes in Tennessee, during which the USA watched Italy’s Francesca Granzotto and Francesca Sgorbini cross the try line, the Eagles went back to what they do best: using sheer power.
All of their tries on Saturday came from the forwards. Keia Mae Sagapolu-Sanele scored twice as the hosts worked their way through the stages in 22 Italian games. Soon the debutant Lauryn Carlton also crossed the try line. The former college hammer thrower took a pass from Freda Tafuna and buried it from close range.
Tafuna had already delivered a couple of strong carries before sending Carlton over the watering hole. She then scored a try of her own just before half-time as Italy failed to stop her crossing the line.
The ability to bounce back from such a devastating forward-dominating style was hugely impressive. Italy had absolutely no answer for that.
When the second half started, it was pretty much the same. Three minutes after the restart, Tafuna scored her second try from close range. The back-row striker completed his hat-trick shortly after Georgie Perris-Redding also crossed the line. Kate Zackary’s score in the 76th minute further underlined USA’s dominance going forward.
Italy can’t find consistency
I felt like we had seen this Italian play before. The first 40 minutes were a perfect example. They had some great moments but couldn’t maintain their attacking momentum.
Granzotto’s effort was absolutely stunning. The speed with which Italy decided to pull the trigger, as well as the execution of Emma Stevanin’s shot across the wing, were exceptional. Sgorbini’s reading of the US exit and her subsequent tackle were also excellent examples of rugby nous.
But almost immediately after the second attempt, Italy’s momentum disappeared. The Eagles dominated from that point on.
Italian offensive attacks were either stifled by the US defense or wasted. The Eagles forwards were in their element.
Plinio Sciamanna has to find a way to do it Blue to maintain their momentum. Without it, we could see this extremely talented group of players go backwards.
Of course, there was more bad in Italy’s performance than just that. Their scrum was dominated and their completion rate was 80% when the final whistle blew.
Not everything was negative. A more pragmatic approach helped Vitoria Ostuna Minuzi score a goal in the 55th minute. By full time, Beatrice Rigoni did the same. It just wasn’t enough.
Italy now face a long wait before returning to action against France in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations 2027. There’s work to be done.
Jack Hanratty continues to find talent
Perhaps the most impressive part of the USA Women’s Eagles’ first year under Jack Hanratty has been his ability to spot new talent.
It quickly became clear that 19-year-old Bella Vogel was ready to start at Test level. A few months later, Nina Mason emerged as another promising prospect. Abigail Paton gave up her dream of playing for the Black Ferns to become an Eagle. Hanratty also worked well with the women’s sevens head coach to integrate several players from the HSBC SVNS series squad into test rugby.
Lauryn Carlton was the team’s final debutant on Saturday. Stepping into the shoes of Hope Rogers is no easy task, but the Boston Banshees loosehead prop is up to the challenge. She is another player to watch out for.
The idea that the US is a sleeping giant has never seemed more applicable than this year. This array of young, exciting players coming through the ranks has taken the Eagles to a whole different level.
With extraordinary England team coming to New Jersey next week, the odds of the USA pulling off the upset are not beyond the realm of possibility. All eyes will be on Sports Illustrated Stadium.
