US Eagles stars Cheta Emba and Emily Henrich inspired South Africa’s next generation of female rugby players during coaching clinics and leadership programmes in Johannesburg and Pretoria earlier this month.

Benoni City Times grabbed the chance to conduct an online interview with the players.

The pair visited the UJ Stadium on July 13, where they spent the day sharing their journeys to the highest level of the game while helping young players sharpen their skills.

They then travelled to Loftus Versfeld on July 14 for another grassroots coaching clinic, giving a second group of aspiring players the opportunity to learn from two of the world’s best.

The week-long initiative formed part of the Eagles Sport Envoy Programme, a United States mission project linked to the Freedom250 celebrations marking America’s anniversary. The programme uses sport to strengthen communities while creating opportunities for skills development, leadership and international exposure for young women.

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Henrich praised the enthusiasm shown by every group they worked with.

“Everyone we’ve worked with, all the clinics and practices, the players have brought so much energy and joy for the game. It’s been so awesome to be welcomed into the communities and share that space with them through rugby and through the Sport Envoy Programme,” she said.

Emba echoed those sentiments, saying the players’ eagerness to improve stood out.

“They’re catching on quickly and are very engaged. So it’s been a joy to participate alongside them.”

A veteran of both the 15-a-side and sevens formats, Emba has earned 17 caps for the US Eagles and represented her country 33 times in sevens. She has competed at three Rugby World Cups, helped the USA win the 2023 HSBC Sevens Series and claimed an Olympic bronze medal at the Paris Games in 2024.

Henrich has established herself as one of the leading backs in the women’s game, featuring in both 15s and sevens. She has represented the Eagles 29 times, including at last year’s Rugby World Cup in England, and was named Premiership Women’s Rugby Player of the Season during her debut campaign with Leicester Tigers.

Reflecting on the clinics, Emba said she was impressed by the commitment and curiosity displayed by the young South Africans.

“We were blown away by how seriously each group took it, from novices to the more experienced, high-performance players. Everyone we’ve worked with has been keen to grow and not afraid to ask questions. They wanted to make every drill and every session worthwhile.

“The passion for rugby is already there. Our job is to communicate in a way that makes sense, helps them understand and brings them along.”

Henrich believes the rapid professionalisation of women’s rugby is creating opportunities for more girls to dream of playing the sport professionally.

“South Africa already has the legacy of the reigning men’s world champions, and now we’re seeing that excellence grow into the women’s game,” she said.

“With a more professional set-up at the highest level, more people are watching rugby and more young girls can see a pathway into the sport. Rugby is generally more accessible here than it is in the United States, where many communities still have limited exposure to the game.

“It has been incredible to experience the passion for rugby in South Africa, and hopefully these clinics have inspired even more young girls to believe they can one day play at the highest level.”

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