Women’s u20 Tri-Nations Cup set to kick off

Three of world’s top Women’s u20 sides will compete in the Tri-Nations Cup over the next two weeks. Hosts Canada will welcome the USA and England to Nova Scotia where the three sides will play in a round-robin format with Canada and England each playing three games and the USA two.

The tournament will provide each team with high level opposition as the players look to progress through their respective national pathways. Graduation directly from u20 level to test honors is increasingly prevalent. A handful of players taking part have already been capped at senior level.

Three matches will take place at Wolfville’s Acadia University with the final held at Wanderers Grounds in downtown Halifax, the site of the recent Canada vs USA men’s test in June.

All matches will be streamed live by TV1.

 

FIXTURES
Tues, Aug 7 – 18:30 local, 17:30 ET, 14:30 PT – Canada vs USA – Acadia University, Wolfville
Fri, Aug 10 – 18:30 local, 17:30 ET, 14:30 PT – Canada vs England – Acadia University, Wolfville
Tues, Aug 14 – 18:30 local, 17:30 ET, 14:30 PT – USA vs England – Acadia University, Wolfville
Sat, Aug 18 – 16:00 local, 15:00 ET, 12:00 PT – Canada vs England – Wanderers Grounds, Halifax

 

CANADA

The host team features a squad dominated by university standouts with two players selected from outside the USports system. Sophie de Goede captains the side, the daughter of former national team captains Hans de Goede and Stephanie White. Fellow loose forward Courtnay Holtkamp made her test debut against England on the November tour. Versatile forward Mackenzie Carson will find herself up against clubmates as she plays her club rugby for Bristol in England. Flyhalf Tausani Levale has been capped on the senior women’s HSBC Sevens Series.

FORWARDS
Amelia Hatfield (Halifax Tars / St. FX X-Women), Idia Ihensekhien (Oakville Crusaders / Dartmouth College), Celia Martensson (Aurora Barbarians / Queen’s Golden Gaels), Maya Montiel (Ottawa Irish / Ottawa Gee-Gees), Valerie Wideski (Westshore / Acadia Axewomen), Erika Barton (Kingston Panthers / Quelph Gryphons), Mackenzie Carson (Bristol, UK / UBC Thunderbirds), Abby Duguid (Edmonton Pirates / Lethbridge Pronghorns), Keegan Branter (Lethbridge RFC / Lethbridge Pronghorns), Zoe Goodwin-Sutton (Westshore / UVic Vikes), Sophie de Goede (Castaway Wanderers / Queen’s Golden Gaels), Courtney Holtkamp (Red Deer Titans / Alberta Pandas), Aly MacDougall (Calgary Irish / Calgary Dinos), Harley Tucker (Windsor Machine / Acadia Axewomen)

BACKS
Sasha Guedes (Beaconsfield / UVic Vikes), Taylour Hurd (Oakville Crusaders / Brock Badgers), Annie Kennedy (Windsor Machine / Acadia Axewomen), Tausani Levale (Abbotsford Griffins), Madison Gold (UBC Thunderbirds), Niamh Haughey (Toronto Saracens / Brock Badgers), Sarah-Maude Lachance (CRQ / Victoriaville Vulkins), Brooke Bazian (UBC Thunderbirds), Hannah Daniels (Aurora Barbarians / Queen’s Golden Gaels), Rachel Hickson (Kingston Panthers / Queen’s Golden Gaels), Asia Hogan (Toronto Nomads / York Lions)

Head Coach – Jack Hanratty

 

ENGLAND

A formidable roster awaits the North Americans as England have named their strongest available side. Included are four players who have already featured for the senior test side. Prop Hannah Botterman is the standout forward. In the backs there is flyhalf Zoe Harrison and hard-running midfielder Lagi Tuima. Flying winger Abby Dow is already a household name in English rugby circles having scored a hat-trick against Canada at Twickenham in November and then again for Wasps against Richmond in the first ever Women’s Premiership match to be nationally televised. Only two players are currently attached to clubs outside the top division that could turn professional as early as next season.

FORWARDS
Hannah Botterman (Saracens), Akina Gondwe (Worcester), Detysha Harper (Waterloo), Ellie Mulhearn (Bristol), Ellena Perry (Saracens), Leah Bartlett (Loughborough), Connie Powell (Gloucester-Hartpury), Cara Brincat (Worcester), Hollie Cunningham (Bristol), Sarah Beckett (Waterloo), Tabitha Copson (Gloucester-Hartpury), Rosie Galligan (Saracens), Amelia Harper (Loughborough), Charlie Wilcock (Worcester)

BACKS
Brooke Bradley (Bristol), Lucy Attwood (Bristol), Ellie Green (Harlequins), Zoe Harrison (Saracens), Phoebe Murray (Bristol), Lilian Stoeger-Goddard (Bristol), Lagi Tuima (Bristol), Beth Wilcock (Trojans), Ella Wyrwas (Saracens), Jessica Cooksey (Winscombe), Abigail Dow (Wasps), Victoria Laflin (Worcester)

Head Coach – Jo Yapp

 

USA

The Women’s Junior All-Americans also lean heavily on their collegiate program. Of the 25 players named three are from senior club rugby and four have been plucked out of high school rugby. National champions Lindenwood contribute five players with four hailing from Central Washington. There are two players of note who have already cracked senior representative sides – Penn State flyhalf Kayla Canett was part of the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup squad and is also a regular on the HSBC Sevens Series. Midfielder and captain Mata Hingano has traveled to two stops on the senior HSBC circuit.

FORWARDS
Tiana A’au (Central Washington), Tiara A’au (Central Washington), Eti Haungatau (SacPAL), Tori Jones (Notre Dame), Isabel Manu (Lindenwood), Penina Tuilaepa (Lindenwood), Destiny Arena (Lindenwood), Elisha Fromstein (Penn State), Natalie Gray (Lindenwood), McKenna Strong (Lindenwood), Samantha Tancredi (North Bay), Morgan Freeman (Ft. Miami), Aniya Matina (Provo Steelers), Finau Tamaivena (Seattle Saracens), Lauren Thunen (UCal Santa Barbara), Elizabeth Wilson (NOVA)

BACKS
Olivia Ortiz (Davenport), Mary Jane Pasioles (Central Washington), Kayla Canett (Penn State), Suiluana A’au (Central Washington), Emily Henrich (Orchard Park), Mata Hingano (Utah Valley), Cassidy Bargell (Summit), Alexandria Sedrick (Life), Sydnee Cervinski (Life)

Head Coach – James English