The U.S. women’s rugby team is setting its sights on winning its first Olympic medal in Tokyo. The team will begin their rugby matches on Sunday with a total of 18 pool games. The medals will be handed out on July 30. The U.S. women’s team will kick off their participation in the Paris Games by playing against Japan at 10:30 a.m. ET.
The women’s tournament format mirrors that of the men’s competition. Twelve teams will be divided into three pools of four teams each. Teams will earn three points for a win, two points for a draw, and one point for a loss. The top two teams from each pool, along with the two best-performing third-place teams, will move on to the quarterfinals. Teams that do not advance from the pool stage will compete in placement matches, ensuring each team plays a total of five or six matches in Paris.
Among the twelve teams competing in Paris, ten have returned from the Tokyo Games, while Ireland and South Africa are making their Olympic women’s rugby debut. The returning Tokyo medalists include New Zealand, France, and Fiji. The U.S. women’s team is aiming to improve upon their quarterfinal exits from Rio and Tokyo. Players to watch include Ilona Maher, who scored three tries in Tokyo, as well as veterans Lauren Doyle, Naya Tapper, Kristi Kirshe, and Alev Kelter. Tapper has announced that she will retire after the Olympics. Additionally, newcomers like Sammy Sullivan, Alena Olsen, Steph Rovetti, Alex Sedrick, and Sarah Levy will make their Olympic debuts for the U.S.
Australia and New Zealand are considered strong contenders for the gold medal. Australia, which finished fifth in Tokyo, is determined to perform better in Paris. Charlotte Caslick, a two-time Women’s Sevens Player of the Year, is expected to lead the Australian squad to the medal rounds. New Zealand, the reigning Olympic champion, concluded the 2023-’24 SVNS Series with four consecutive wins to clinch the regular season title over Australia. Key players like Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and Tyla King have announced their retirement from international competition after the Paris Games. New Zealand is the only country to have won a women’s rugby medal in both Olympic tournaments since the sport returned in Rio. Fiji, the bronze medalist from Tokyo, is also aiming to compete for a medal in Paris, with Reapi Ulunisau leading the team after scoring eight tries in the 2020 Games.
The pool lineup for the 2024 Olympic tournament is as follows:
Pool A: Canada, China, Great Britain, Fiji
Pool B: Australia, France, Ireland, New Zealand
Pool C: Brazil, Japan, South Africa, United States
As the U.S. women’s rugby team prepares to make its mark in Tokyo, fans eagerly anticipate the team’s performances and hope for a historic medal win for the squad.