Springbok Women confirm historic two-Test clash with the Women's Eagles

The Springbok Women will host the USA Women’s Eagles for the first time ever this July in a historic two-match series.

The two Tests, at Ellis Park (Saturday 4 July) and Loftus Versfeld (Saturday 11 July), will form part of doubleheaders when the Springbok Men host England in Johannesburg and Scotland in Pretoria at the start of the Nations Championship.

It will be the first time that the Bok Women and the USA have played each other in South Africa. They last played in March 2024, when the Eagles won 38-17 at Trailfinders Sports Ground in London.

In 2026 the Springbok Women will also host New Zealand’s Black Ferns as part of a doubleheader in September to kick-start the third Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry clash.

Swys de Bruin, Springbok Women head coach, said: “Not only will we play two double headers with the Springboks, which is already massive for us, but it falls in line with our objective to play as many top ten teams as possible in the new World Cup cycle.

“Our ambitions for the next Women’s Rugby World Cup in Australia are well documented by now, and these two Tests will be a brilliant start towards that goal.

“The USA play in the Pacific Four Series every year, exposing them to the high intensity rugby of opponents Canada, New Zealand and Australia – a luxury we did not have in previous years.

“But thanks to World Rugby’s new format of the top 12 ranked sides playing each other and SA Rugby’s commitment to make these happen, these objectives can now become a reality.”

The USA Women’s Eagles are currently ranked eighth in the world and the Springboks are placed 10th.

The USA will have been disappointed with their efforts at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. A group stage exit from the competition was a bruising experience for a talented squad that contained the talents of Ilona Maher, Kate Zackary and Erica Jarrell-Searcy.

In contrast South Africa flourished on the world stage and left the tournament in the quarter-finals against the Black Ferns, who they frightened in the first-half at Sandy Park.

Tamara Sheppard, USA Women’s Eagles General Manager of High Performance, said: “Touring South Africa is a great opportunity for us to keep growing and developing against a Rugby World Cup quarter-final team.

“We’re excited to embrace the challenge to play in front of some of the most passionate rugby fans in the world, and it will be an incredible experience for this developing Eagles group to test ourselves across the two Test matches.”

There will also be a two-match series contended between South Africa and the USA’s U20 teams in July. On 18 and 25 July, the teams will play one another in the Cape Town region, with the USA set to be based at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport.