1991 USA Women’s National Team celebrated on Capitol Hill for 35th Anniversary of legendary Rugby World Cup win

Nine representing players from the 1991 Rugby World Cup winning USA Women’s National Team arrived on Capitol Hill in Washington DC today, stepping onto the House floor as special guests of the House of Representatives.

This week marks the 35th Anniversary of the iconic Rugby World Cup, where the USA won the inaugural world championship in Cardiff, Wales on April 14th, 1991. As a self-funded team competing in a self-organized tournament, the special recognition by our nation’s leaders is symbolic of women’s rugby growth over the last 35 years.

Washington DC hosted a few recognitions this week, as 32 flags were flown over the US Capitol on Tuesday April 14 - exactly 35 years to the date of the Rugby World Cup final - to recognize the full 1991 USA squad. On Thursday, nine player representatives who were able to be in Washington DC were welcomed to the House floor of the US Capitol where an official Congressional Record was read on their behalf by Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts. A Congressional Record is the proceedings on the floors of the United States House of Representatives and the Senate, published daily and now including the USA Women’s Eagles recognition.

Starting Lock and Judge of the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda; Tara Flanagan led and organized the visit. Flanagan said on the experience, “Obviously it’s a big honor to be invited to Congress and have an official Congressional record made of our historic Rugby World Cup victory so many years ago. I approached them months ago and pitched them to host the team and the event. In a lot of ways, it feels a lot like what we did in 1991. Women athletes can’t wait around for people to offer them things or do things for them. In 1991, we had to organize ourselves on a shoestring budget. We had to pull ourselves together, fundraise, find a way to get ourselves to the [UK] and win the Rugby World Cup - and we did.”

“Unfortunately, not the entirety of the 1991 team can be here for this 35th Anniversary congressional event and that’s just a matter of life circumstances. People are traveling or have family and work obligations. Of course, two of our beloved team members have passed away and are no longer with us, Kathy Flores and Val Sullivan.

“We are all very excited to reunite, catch up, and bask in the glory of that amazing accomplishment! Winning a Rugby World Cup is no small feat, and I think as the years have gone by and we’ve all grown older, it’s sunk in: We’ve realized what we accomplished in 1991. To have that 1991 Rugby World Cup victory recognized on the floor of Congress this week, the week of our 35th Anniversary, even in these divisive and troubled times in this country means something to me.

“And as we present ourselves for such recognition at Congress, it remains the biggest honor of my life, and I think my teammates would agree, to be USA Eagles and to represent USA Rugby. We will proudly be wearing our caps and standing up for all our teammates, coaches and administrators who were part of our 1991 Rugby World Cup victory.”

When asked about the experience of gathering again, Flanagan replied, “The vibe is going to be pure energy and pure excitement. We are all so spread out across the country and the world, that we rarely get to see each other in large groups. The last time we were all together was in 2017 when we were inducted as a team into the US Rugby Hall of Fame. So, just great to see your mates, that’s a lot of it.

“When we do get together and talk, we of course rehash the 1991 matches and things like that - but it’s funny how different people remember different things and it’s somewhat fills in gaps of what one’s own memory is. Funny stories are told and re-told.

“And, we will of course raise a glass this week in DC. Not only to the entire team and those who were unable to attend the Congressional Record event, but to our two teammates who have passed away in recent years, Kathy Flores and Val Sullivan. Both are beloved teammates and played incredibly well in the Rugby World Cup Final.”

Team Co-Captain Barbara Bond also said on her memories of 1991, “My first memories of arriving in Wales was the team gathering in the hotel and finally assembling together for the first time. Many players barely knew each other, or not at all, prior to our first matches. I have strong memories of opening the kit boxes, particularly the warmup outfits that were too large for many of us and had no USA markings of any kind. Our managers had to go out and iron “USA” on the backs. I also remember the city of Cardiff was very welcoming, it was so exciting to see the old Cardiff Arms Park with the statue of Gareth Edwards out front.

“The tournament was put on very professionally despite limited resources, and I think that first Rugby World Cup went a long way to start introducing people to the idea of women playing rugby. That is where we were back then, where stories about the woman’s game often showed up in the style section of the newspaper. Women playing rugby was viewed as a curiosity more than the serious athletic endeavor that it truly was. There were certainly several very curious, or perhaps doubting, rugby fans who came to watch that first Rugby World Cup and their skepticism was quickly dispelled by the high level of play.”

Speaking to what change she has seen in the years since 1991, Bond said, “It is almost indescribable the experience I had attending the last Rugby World Cup in England [2025]. Being at the final at Twickenham, sold out with 85,000 fans, was truly remarkable. The level of rugby has risen so much, especially in countries where there is a professional game. My sense is that when many of us started playing in the 80s and 90s, the world wasn’t quite ready for a women’s contact sport. Thankfully so many women persevered, despite the inequities and lack of resources or media attention, because they loved the game. Now the world is not only ready, but hungry to watch the athletes who are playing women’s rugby today.”

While there is still quite a lot of opportunity to see further advancement, the growth of women’s rugby will take center stage this weekend as the USA Women’s Eagles face Australia in front of an expected sellout crowd in Kansas City. This will be the second consecutive year of 10,000+ spectators at CPKC Stadium, as part of the now annual Pacific Four Series.

Bond concluded with thoughts on the road ahead, “I think what is most imperative now is that we in the US and World Rugby take advantage of this enormous opportunity for player and fan growth. We must continue to resource, promote and enable true professionalism in the women’s game. We see this happening all over in women’s sports and rugby should not be left behind.”