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The USA Women are ready for the 2018 RWC 7’s. In eight days time the USA Women’s Eagles will take to the field at AT&T Park in San Francisco, competing for Gold from July 20-22.
The USA Women’s Eagles are 5th seeds for the 2018 RWC 7’s. They are joined by 15 other countries competing in the women’s tournament and will open against China. The match is to be a straight knock-out with the loser eliminated while the winner advances to the Quarter Finals.
Head Coach Richie Walker’s 12-woman roster features nine players who competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Yet the mix in talent of the leading USA players is such that there is room for Ilona Maher, a player to have debuted for her country last month in Paris.
Captaining the side is seasoned veteran Nicole Heavirland. She goes into the 2018 RWC 7’s in fine form having scored seven tries during the 2017-2018 season. Topping the list, though, is Naya Tapper who scored 138 for the USA, the most by any player on the circuit.
Heavirland and Tapper are to be joined by other notable athletes including Lauren Doyle, who scored in all but one match in Paris, and Kris Thomas.
USA
Ryan Carlyle, Lauren Doyle, Cheta Emba, Joanne Fa’avesi, Jordan Gray, Abby Gustaitis, Nicole Heavirland (capt.), Alev Kelter, Ilona Maher, Naya Tapper, Kris Thomas, Kate Zackary
