USA will travel to South Africa for the first time when the nations meet for two senior men’s internationals. The Hawks will visit Pretoria, playing fixtures on 4 December 2024 at the Harlequins Rugby Club (kick off 6pm local time) and three days later at Grizzlies Rugby Club (kick off 4pm). In their only previous meeting, the South Africa Rhinos played against USA and Jamaica in 2011 in a World Cup qualifying tournament in New Jersey; USA winning that clash 40-4.
Both nations will only select players from their domestic competitions, and the hosts will be using the matches as trials for their participation in the inaugural 2025 World Series, which will see the final qualification places decided for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.
“We are looking forward to an interesting and exciting competition,” commented SARL president Dr Frans Erasmus. “This tour is not only a historic milestone but also a crucial step in increasing awareness and development of rugby league in both South Africa and the United States.”
Rhinos men’s head coach, Fanie Bredenhann, added: “Having the opportunity to host the Hawks has created an exciting vibe among club coaches and players already, and they are a great help to scouting and development.”
With the USA Young Hawks having recently made their debut in the U19s European Championship, and the NRL and Super League announcing details of their latest trip to Las Vegas next March, this is a further building block for USARL.
“This will provide more than just a game of rugby league for us, it underscores our commitment and dedication to the ongoing improvement and strategic advancement of our national programme,” said USARL chair, Matt Goschnick. “By fostering these opportunities it will help challenge, develop and grow players, teams, coaches, and support personnel which will elevate and enhance our domestic competitions, development pathways and competitiveness.”
Hawks’ head coach Sean Rutgerson, who played for South Africa in the 2000 World Cup, noted: “It’s a great opportunity for us. We are working hard to build out our international calendar and this is a great start. We are looking forward to finishing the year on a high note.”