World Cup Winner Lou Meadows Now Coaching Team USA

Lou Meadows helped England win the Women's Rugby World Cup in front of a record crowd last year, and now she's ready to take them on from the other sideline.

The former England attack coach has joined USA Women's Eagles, bringing her championship expertise to American rugby. She'll face her old team this October when the Red Roses travel to New Jersey for the WXV Global Series.

Meadows knew England had won the World Cup final against Canada just 20 minutes into the match. But after that massive victory, she felt surprisingly numb about what came next.

"I think when we came out, I was a little bit numb and I was straight back into mum life," Meadows said. She jumped into coaching GB Sevens immediately, fearing she'd "bend into the sofa" without a new challenge.

Her temporary sevens role helped her think beyond "the England bubble." When USA reached out about joining head coach Jack Hanratty's staff, she took the leap after four years with the Red Roses.

The arrangement works perfectly for everyone involved. Meadows hasn't had to relocate from the UK yet, which keeps her children settled. Many USA players compete in England's domestic league anyway, giving them closer contact with their national coach.

She's already guided USA through a Pacific Four Series where they beat Australia, and tied a two-test series against South Africa. The experiences taught her that American teams respond well to adversity and that the country celebrates female athletes differently than England.

"They are celebrating them for the right reasons," Meadows explained. America focuses on athleticism and skill rather than off-field personas, building athletes who are "robust, super strong, powerful, fast."

Why This Inspires

Meadows' journey shows how success opens new doors rather than closing chapters. She chose growth over comfort, taking her World Cup-winning knowledge to help build another nation's program. Her move strengthens global women's rugby by spreading expertise beyond traditional powers.

The upcoming match against England adds extra motivation, but Meadows is mostly excited to see familiar faces and test herself against the world champions.

When October arrives in New Jersey, the coach who helped England reach the top will be working just as hard to knock them off.