Sale's Perris-Redding named USA Eagles captain for historic first tour of South Africa

George Perris-Redding will captain the USA Women’s Eagles on their maiden tour of South Africa, head coach Jack Hanratty confirmed. The 29-year-old Sale Sharks forward takes the armband from club teammate Erica Jarrell-Searcy, who is unavailable for the two fixtures against the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 quarterfinalists.

The Eagles will face South Africa on consecutive weekends, opening at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park on Saturday 4 July before travelling to Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld a week later. Both matches form part of doubleheaders alongside the South Africa men’s side, who host England and Scotland in the Nations Championship across the same weekends.

Hanratty backed Perris-Redding to handle the responsibility despite it being her first official stint as skipper. “Although Georgie might be taking over the official captaincy for the first time she has been a leader for the Eagles for many years and I know she will lead from the front,” he said. “It’s an important time to develop multiple leaders in the build up to 2029/2033 RWCs.”

The tour is the Eagles’ first action since a third-place finish at the Pacific Four Series, Hanratty’s debut tournament in charge. The USA beat Australia — a result that lifted them to seventh in the World Rugby rankings — but lost to New Zealand and Canada. Their last meeting with South Africa came in London in 2024, a 38-17 victory for the Eagles.

The squad will be bolstered by late arrivals. Kate Zackary joins after the Premiership Women’s Rugby Final at the Twickenham Stoop on Sunday, while her Trailfinders Women teammate Alivia Leatherman and lock Hallie Taufoou — involved in Sunday’s Élite 1 Féminine Final with Stade Bordelais — link up the following week.

Hanratty has also included five uncapped players. Forwards Lauryn Carlton, Elizabeth Cook and Chloe Hill-Huse are in contention for Test debuts, while Ashley Cowdrey arrives from the sevens programme and Alopa Nau comes in on the back of a strong Davenport University season.

“To compete in a Test series in South Africa is one of the most challenging places to go,” Hanratty said. “We want to hold ourselves to a high standard and raise our game from our PAC4 experiences.”