The 36-year-old led the US Eagles — the country’s women’s rugby team — to a fourth-place finish at the 2017 World Cup in Ireland as captain. And although that was a sterling achievement in itself, it’s Faaee’s latest role that has seen her really put down a marker in the sport.
Faaee is an assistant coach at Rugby United New York — a men’s team in Major League Rugby (MLR), the sport’s top professional competition in North America. Among the playing roster at Rugby United New York is former England full-back Ben Foden.
It is a position that makes Faaee something of a pioneer; she is the first woman to coach in men’s professional rugby in the country — not that the role of barrier-breaker is one she ever openly sought.
