USA captain Kate Zackary: 'To get where we have gotten to is huge'

Kate Zackary is proud of what her USA team achieved at WXV 1 despite not picking up a win at the tournament.

The Trailfinders Women forward won her 40th cap in Vancouver as the Eagles succumbed to defeat at the hands of England, France and Ireland.

Coming into the competition after a third-place finish in the Pacific Four Series in May, Sione Fukofuka’s squad left Vancouver without a point in October.

Soundly beaten 61-21 by England after a bright start at BC Place, Zackary and her teammates then lost 22-14 to France and 26-14 against Ireland.

“Immediately after the tournament off the back of the Ireland game, I actually felt really proud,” Zackary said.

“I didn’t even think about the fact that we went 0-3 and walked away with zero points. I just thought we played some really good rugby.

“We went in wanting to execute a few things and really let our set-piece shine against some really strong sides.

“Against France, it was being comfortable in a kicking battle, and I think we did that. In each game we had a marker and met it.

“A few weeks later, I can’t help but think ‘I wish we won a game’. That would have been nice.

“But it is funny, I am back in England now and people are saying it is one of the best tournaments they have seen us play.

“We shut people down. We played England to a 10-point difference until the last 10 minutes. In the first 10 minutes against France, we could have scored three tries.

“Ireland are on a massive come up, they beat New Zealand on the opening weekend and we were leading them. If it weren’t for mistakes we would have beaten them.”

For Zackary and her teammates there is already a sense of anticipation for when the Eagles get back together.

Less than a year into Fukofuka’s tenure as head coach, the side has blooded new talent and is evaluating his team’s progress by performances over their results.

Now nine matches into the Australian’s tenure, the Eagles have three wins, a draw and five losses to their name.

With players plying their trade in Premiership Women’s Rugby, contracted to USA Sevens or about to embark on a debut campaign as paid players competing in Women’s Elite Rugby (WER), there is a feeling that the time to progress is now.

“We’re really just starting to find the momentum,” Zackary said. “Last year we had some really good interim coaches and Sione took over last December. To get where we have gotten to is huge.

“We have played some really good games. He has done his job to make sure that he has loads of touchpoints across the US – going to see lots of teams, players and to recruit as well.

“What is exciting is over the next few months we will have players in England playing good rugby and we have the girls back in the US preparing for the WER season.

“Our sevens players are in a daily training environment.

“What we are trying to create is; if you are not in a daily training environment, you have a regular training schedule and markers you need to hit.

“It is really crazy to think that we are still finding momentum. Nothing is set in stone yet.”

Date set in Sunderland

Zackary is hoping to harness local support ahead of the USA’s 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup opener against England.

Drawn against the host nation for the tournament, the Eagles will kick-start the 16 team tournament at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light with the eyes of the world watching them.

But even thousands of miles from home, there will be some familiarity for the 35-year-old and her teammates.

One of a number of Eagles plying their trade in PWR, Zackary is part of the coaching panel for Brunel University’s women’s side, while other teammates have also embedded themselves in with their communities.

“We have had 20 players in PWR for the last three years and I think they have started to connect with the community,” she said.

“We are in another country and there will be fans there for some of us which is pretty cool.”

More than ever before there is a sense of anticipation for what the Eagles could achieve.

Over the summer the world was enchanted as the nation won bronze at the Olympic Games in Paris, with Ilona Maher emerging as rugby’s most followed athlete on social media.

Now reportedly debating a move to PWR, should Maher be part of the Eagles’ Rugby World Cup plans seven years on from her last XVs cap is yet to be seen, but the noise around the team will only continue to build.

With the World Cup opener circled and underlined in the calendar next year, Zackary hopes to keep using the momentum gathering around the side.

“England are one of the top sides,” Zackary said. “They are at home for the tournament and there is a lot of buzz about this game.

“It’s the first game. No matter who it was going to be, it was going to be talked about for a year.

“I think it will be great. There will be a big buzz around the stadium, which even for our team will be great.

“In the US we are still building our brand, we are coming off the tail of the sevens having a really good Olympic campaign and we are looking forward to having a great World Cup.”

Happy trails

Between now and linking back up with the USA squad Zackary’s attention will solely be on Trailfinders.

Five rounds into the new PWR season, the London club are sixth in the league table and face two-time champions Gloucester-Hartpury next time out.

Ending their first season in the competition on a high, the club have lofty expectations this year.

Most recently registering a 36-17 win over Leicester Tigers at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, the side are surpassing expectations after the sudden summer departure of Giselle Mather as Women’s Director of Rugby at Trailfinders Sports Ground.

While plenty expected the much-heralded coach’s exit to unsettle the squad she built, Mather set the foundations for Barney Maddison’s installation as head coach of the side.

“Change can always be difficult,” Zackary said. “That being said, Giselle set up a great programme.

“She recruited good people. Not only good rugby players and built a really good culture, from the staff through to the players.

“Even with her leaving and Barney Maddison slotting in as head coach, even though we had that change.

“We still had good people and a good rugby culture. While you had that moment of wondering if it was a big change, on the other hand we have got all the tools and resources to be a good side.

“We finished on a high last year against Harlequins, and everyone wants to come in this season and be a top-four side. We know we are capable of that.”