By Canadian Press on March 18, 2025.
The United States is attempting to drum up more interest in rugby ahead of hosting the men’s and women’s World Cups by staging its biggest ever schedule of home internationals this year. Six matches — three for the men and three for the women — will be played across five weekends in four cities from April to July in an initiative devised by USA Rugby and World Rugby. World Rugby said on Tuesday it was trying to drive “fan engagement, commercial investment, and high-performance opportunities for the Eagles” before the United States hosts the Rugby World Cups for men in 2031 and women in 2033. In the schedule, the men’s Eagles will play the Netherlands on July 5 and Spain on July 12 — both in North Carolina — and then England the following weekend in Washington, D.C. The women’s Eagles will play Japan in Los Angeles on April 26, Canada in Kansas City on May 2, and Fiji in Washington, D.C. on July 19 as part of a doubleheader with the men. The U.S. men are also competing in the Pacific Nations Cup this year alongside Canada, Fiji, Japan, Samoa and Tonga. The PNC will also take place in the United States in September. ___ AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby The Associated Press 11