Following the establishment of the American National Rugby League (AMNRL) in 1997, the team began to participate in more regular international competition.

However, Mike Dimitro did not give up; he was able to organize two exhibitions against Australia and New Zealand in California that did not turn out to be a big success.

In an attempt boost rugby league's popularity in America, a 1987 State of Origin series match was held in the Long Beach, California.

[5] In 1997 Super League America formed to organize a national team, establish an amateur domestic competition, and build the sport in the United States.

[6] The organization was initially established by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation in an attempt to spread rugby league to the United States.

[7] The United States Tomahawks warmed up for the 2000 Rugby League Emerging Nations Tournament with a three-match tour of New South Wales, Australia.

On December 1, 2004, the Tomahawks played their first ever international game against the Australian Kangaroos, the reigning World Cup champions.

[5] In October 2006, the U.S. were placed in a four team Atlantic World Cup qualifying pool along with South Africa, West Indies and Japan.

South Africa and the West Indies withdrew from qualifying so therefore the group was reduced to a single game between the U.S. and Japan which the U.S. won 54–18.

[8] In 2011, seven teams in the AMNRL domestic competition broke away to form the USA Rugby League.

Following the World Cup, the national team was put on hiatus while the governance dispute between the AMNRL and the USARL was resolved.

[16] Brian McDermott was subsequently appointed head coach[17] and his first job was to help the U.S. re-secure the World Cup qualification that they first won four years earlier.

[18][19] Head coach: Sean Rutgerson Squad selected for the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s: Squad selected for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup qualifiers:[20] U.S. national side's competitive record up to date as of 7 December 2024.