USA Women's Eagles target top-five world ranking on back of four-game winning streak

The USA Women’s Eagles are building toward their most sustained run of form in nearly two decades, arriving at their WXV Global Series fixture against Italy in Nashville on a four-game winning streak. A fifth straight victory would be the team’s longest sequence since the 2006 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

The ambition inside the camp has shifted from quiet hope to open expectation. Veteran No.8 Kate Zackary, who has represented the Eagles since her debut against France in 2016 and has played in three Women’s Rugby World Cups, says the group is now openly targeting a place among the world’s top five sides.

“We’ve talked about it as a group, and we’ve talked about our ability to do so,” Zackary said ahead of the Italy rematch. “For years, we’ve struggled to live up to the ‘sleeping giant’ tag, but we’ve found some momentum this year.”

The Eagles defeated Italy 36-27 in their first home WXV fixture, a result Zackary pointed to as evidence of a new collective confidence — even if the final 30 minutes exposed areas still requiring work. The USA scored only three points in that closing period as Italy pressed hard.

“We were still trying to play loose and were overexcited with the ball,” Zackary acknowledged. “The messages from the coaches were to get back to basics — to regain momentum through physicality. The best teams in rugby know when to play with physicality and momentum.”

Much of the credit for the shift in mentality has been directed at head coach Jack Hanratty, appointed in December 2025. The Eagles have won five of their eight test matches under his charge. Captain and flanker Georgie Perris-Reading, who scored a hat-trick of tries in the first Italy fixture, described how Hanratty’s early approach helped retain players who had been considering stepping away from the programme.

“The World Cup was really tough for a variety of reasons,” said the 29-year-old. “But when Jack first came in, he spoke to every single player on the team. It was enough for those players considering not coming back to give the new set-up a chance.”

The blend of experienced campaigners like Zackary alongside emerging talent has given the Eagles a platform to build on. With the top-five target now stated publicly rather than whispered, the Nashville rematch against Italy represents the next step in testing whether that ambition can be sustained.