USA Women’s Eagles Head Coach, Sione Fukofuka announced today his plans to step away from his role with USA Rugby.
Fukofuka was appointed Head Coach in November of 2023, before leading the Women’s fifteens to Rugby World Cup 2025 qualification and broadly supporting a re-energized High Performance Pathway.
The Women’s National Team saw immense growth in professionalism and high performance qualities during Sione’s tenure, with positive markers in program development and raising standards to what is required of an international program. Fukofuka and his family intend to return home to Australia following the recent completion of the USA Rugby World Cup campaign in England.
Fukofuka said on his decision to step away, “I have been honored and privileged to lead the USA Women’s Eagles for the past two years into the Rugby World Cup. The staff and players have been a pleasure to work with and have committed countless hours to move the program into a high performance environment, changing the game on and off the field. I want to thank them for their commitment, their trust in the program and where we were building. I have made the difficult decision to step down from my role as Head Coach and return to Australia to prioritize my family, I want to thank Tamara Sheppard for her support and understanding.
This team is special and leaving is hard, however I am confident the program is in an exciting position for the future. The potential in the current squad and the players coming through the pathway is world class, I look forward to seeing that potential translate in the future. I would like to thank the USA Women's Rugby community for their support during my time as Head Coach, the USA Sevens program, along with the many colleges and club programs I was able to connect with. The future is bright and the next Rugby World Cup cycle will be an exciting growth of performance built on strong foundations.”
General Manager of High Performance, Tamara Sheppard added, "We want to thank Sione for his unwavering commitment and leadership over the past two years. He lifted the standards across our entire program, instilling a culture of excellence, accountability, and hard work. His impact will be felt for years to come, and we wish him nothing but success in his next chapter.”
As the Women’s Eagles begin a competition hiatus for the remainder of 2025, USA Rugby will immediately begin the recruitment process for a new Head Coach with first team assemblies expected in early 2026
