Following the USA Women's Eagles departure from the 2025 Rugby World Cup pool stages, head coach Sione Fukofuka has confirmed he will depart his role after two years in the job.
A former assistant coach of the Wallaroos, Fukofuka joined the Eagles in November 2023, taking management of both the women's national team and supporting a re-energized High Performance Pathway.
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Despite exiting the World Cup in pool stages - the first time the USA has not made the knockout stages - Fukofuka will leave with his stocks firmly raised.
Off the field, the women's program experienced immense growth in professionalism and high performance under his tenure, as well as a significant uptake in support.
On the field, aside from leading the side to the 2025 Rugby World Cup qualification, Fukofuka also led the Eagles to a 2024 victory over Jo Yapp's Wallaroos in Melbourne and qualification in WXV 1 later that year.
With Fukofuka confirming he and his family will return home to Australia, the move opens the door for the Fukofuka to return to the Australian national program - with Yapp ending her Wallaroos tenure after the World Cup.
“I have been honored and privileged to lead the USA Women’s Eagles for the past two years into the Rugby World Cup," Fukofuka said in an official statement.
"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 prioritise 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.”
"We want to thank Sione for his unwavering commitment and leadership over the past two years," USA General Manager of High Performance, Tamara Sheppard added.
"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.”
