USA Women's Eagles make significant lineup changes for Springboks rematch

USA Women's Eagles Head Coach Jack Hanratty has made substantial adjustments to his starting lineup for the second test against the Springbok Women, seeking to build on second-half momentum after a challenging performance at Ellis Park last Saturday USA makes shifts for Springboks clash. The team will face South Africa again at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.

The initial match in Johannesburg presented the expected physicality from the Springboks, who started with significant intensity South Africa tests USA in Johannesburg. Despite the tough opening, the USA found its rhythm later in the game, scoring three tries. Coach Hanratty noted that while less experienced players made good impacts, the scoring was characterized by "moments and not momentum."

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Key Personnel Swaps for Pretoria Test

Elizabeth Cook, who scored a noteworthy debut try off the bench in the previous match, has been promoted to start at tighthead prop for the upcoming game Cook steps into starting role. In the second row, Emerson Allen joins Hallie Taufoou, while Hann Humphreys moves to flanker, completing the back row alongside Freda Tafuna and captain Georgie Perris-Redding.

The halfback pairing sees a complete revamp, with Olivia Ortiz taking over at scrumhalf and Kristin Bitter starting at flyhalf. This shift moves Bella Vogel to inside center, forming a midfield partnership with Tessa Hann at 13. Further backline adjustments include Telesi Uhatafe moving to the wing, Ashley Cowdrey shifting to fullback after her debut try, and Bulou Mataitoga at 14 Changes to USA's halfbacks and backline. Chloe Hill-Huse, from Sunnybank Rugby Club, is poised to make her USA debut from the reserves.

Learning from Ellis Park

Hanratty emphasized that the team absorbed significant lessons from the Ellis Park encounter. He stated that the focus for the week has been on achieving "executing excellence" and delivering a strong performance for the full 80 minutes Hanratty evaluates team's learning. The coaching staff and players are keen to demonstrate their capacity for sustained high-level play.

USA Rugby fans can replay last week's action from Johannesburg via RugbyPassTV USA Rugby news. The second and final test of this tour will kick off on Saturday, July 11th, at 7:30 AM ET and will be available on Paramount+.

Broader Rugby Landscape: International Matches

The intensity of international rugby was also evident in another significant fixture, with the Springboks recently facing England in the inaugural Nations Championship. This match was a major test for Steve Borthwick's side against the world champions at altitude in Johannesburg Springboks face England in Nations Championship.

Fans in various regions had multiple options to watch the South Africa vs. England match. In the UK, it was available for free on ITVX and ITV4, with ITV choosing to prioritize a football World Cup match on its main channel ITV coverage for Springboks-England. Irish viewers could watch on Virgin Media Play and Virgin Media One, while French fans had access via TF1 and TF1+ South Africa. Overseas viewers were advised to use VPNs to access their usual streaming services South Africa.