All 12 participating teams have now assembled at Infinity Park for the Glendale Sevens, the first stop on the 2018-19 HSBC Women’s Sevens Series. The USA has previously held events on the circuit in Houston, Atlanta, and Las Vegas, but this will be the first time that Colorado has played host.
The Americas will be represented by core teams Canada and the USA as well as invitational side Mexico. They have each been drawn in separate pools with Mexico in Pool A, the USA in Pool B, and Canada in Pool C.
This year’s circuit doubles as an Olympic Qualifier with the top four teams at the end of the season earning automatic qualification. Canada finished 4th on the 2017-18 season with the USA just behind in 5th spot.
Most recently it was the USA who finished in 4th place at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco this past July. Canada ended with a disappointing 7th place finish at the tournament, while Mexico were at the bottom of the table in 16th.
The Glendale tournament will kick off at 10:30am local time, 12:30pm Eastern time on Saturday. Canada will play Fiji in the opening match. Broadcasts will be available via FloRugby in the USA, the CBC Sports website in Canada, and World Rugby for the rest of the world.
POOL A
AUSTRALIA
Charlotte Caslick, Dominique du Toit, Ellia Green, Demi Hayes, Page McGregor, Yasmin Meakes, Shannon Parry (co-capt.), Evania Pelite, Cassandra Staples, Emma Sykes, Samatha Treherne, Sharni Williams (co-capt.)
RUSSIA
Aleksandra Aliseenko, Anna Baranchuk, Arina Bystrova, Anna Gavrilyuk, Baizat Khamidova, Marina Kukina, Snezhanna Kulkova, Daria Lushina, Alena Mikhaltsova (capt.), Daria Noristina, Anastasia Prokudina, Kristina Seredina, Daria Shestakova
SPAIN
Ingrid Algar, Marina Bravo, María Casado, Beatriz Domínguez, Iera Echebarría, Amaia Erbina, Lide Erbina, Olivia Fresneda, María García Gala, Sabina Hurtado, Elisabet Martínez, Bárbara Plà (capt.)
MEXICO
Margely Angulo, Fernanda Carrillo, Michelle Farah, Isabela González, Bertha Landeros, Karmin Macedo, Adrian Mendoza, Rosa Rivera, Vanessa Rodríguez, Daniela Rosales (capt.), María Tovar, Zoe Tuyu, Brenda Weinel
POOL B
NEW ZEALAND
Shakira Baker, Michaela Blyde, Kelly Brazier, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Sarah Goss (capt.), Kyla Nathan-Wong, Alena Saili, Terina Te Tamaki, Ruby Tui, Katarina Whata-Simpkins, Niall Williams, Portia Woodman
USA
Lauren Doyle (co-capt.), Cheta Emba, Jordan Gray, Abby Gustaitis, Nicole Heavirland (co-capt.), Alev Kelter, Ilona Maher, Kacey McCravey, Alena Olsen, Stephanie Rovetti, Naya Tapper, Kris Thomas, Lauren Thunen
ENGLAND
Holly Aitchison, Claire Allan, Jess Breach, Abbie Brown (capt.), Abigail Burton, Deb Fleming, Natasha Hunt, Ellie Kildunne, Celia Quansah, Helena Rowland, Emily Scarratt, Emma Uren
CHINA
Ke-Yi Chen, Yue-Ying Gao, Yu Hu, Xiao-Qian Liu, Hong-Ting Ruan, Ying-Ying Shen, Qi Su, Wan-Yu Wang, Mei-Ling Yan (capt.), Fei-Fei Yang, Min Yang, Li-Ping Yu
POOL C
FRANCE
Montserrat Amédée, Julie Annery, Pauline Biscarat, Audrey Ciofani, Caroline Drouin, Lina Guérin, Fanny Horta, Shannon Izar, Marjorie Mayans, Carla Neissen, Chloé Pelle (capt.), Jessy Trémoulière,
CANADA
Olivia Apps, Britt Benn, Pam Buisa, Emma Chown, Caroline Crossley, Bianca Farella, Julia Greenshields, Sara Kaljuvee, Ghislaine Landry (capt.), Kaili Lukan, Kayla Moleschi, Breanne Nicholas, Charity Williams
FIJI
Naina Baleca, Esiteri Bulikiobo, Litiana Lawedrau, Sereima Leweniqila, Sereana Nagatalevu, Ana Maria Naimasi (capt.), Litia Naiqato, Roela Radinyavuni, Akosita Ravato, Merewalesi Rokouono, Vasiti Solikoviti, Mereula Torooti
IRELAND
Ashleigh Baxter, Claire Boles, Aoife Doyle, Katie Fitzhenry, Stacey Flood, Katie Heffernan, Eve Higgins, Lucy Mulhall (capt.), Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe, Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird, Audrey O’Flynn, Hannah Tyrrell