Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
Women’s Eagles Head coach Rob Cain has named a group of 51 on his long-list to prepare for the upcoming Rugby World Cup 2021. The tournament will be hosted by New Zealand with the USA to play in the tournament opener on September 18 against an opponent yet to be determined.
Included are a dozen members of the 2017 World Cup squad and three who attended the 2014 edition. Meya Bizer notably made the 2014 team but missed out on 2017.
All five Exeter-based players are named, with winger Jennine Duncan facing a race in time to recover from a serious hamstring injury. Kristine Sommer only recently returned home from playing with Harlequins, with Sale fullback Jess Wooden the only UK-based international excluded.
There are eight members of the USA Sevens residency squad selected. Those players will have the opportunity to play in both the Tokyo Olympics and the World Cup. Olympic officials remain confident the tournament will go ahead as planned with women’s rugby scheduled for July 29-31.
Also confirmed as two seven-week training sessions to be held at Glendale’s Infinity Park prior to final selection. The first camp will run from March 13 to May 2, with the squad to be reduced to 40 for the second camp that runs from May 31 to July 21.
The team will depart for New Zealand on August 2 with the expectation that a series of warm-up matches will be held beginning in late August.
PROP
*Catie Benson (Life West), Charli Jacoby (Chicago North Shore), *Nick James (HARC), Maya Learned (Colorado Gray Wolves), *Hope Rogers (Life West), Sam Tancredi (Lindenwood)
HOOKER
Saher Hamdan (Life), Jett Hayward (Life West), Joanna Kitlinski (Exeter Chiefs, UK), Kathryn Treder (Beantown)
LOCK
*Stacey Bridges (Beantown), Erica Jarrell (Harvard), Jenny Kronish (Colorado Gray Wolves), Sam Luther (Colorado Gray Wolves), *Kristine Sommer (Seattle RC), *Alycia Washington (NYRC)
BACK ROW
Elizabeth Cairns (Life West), Rachel Ehrecke (Colorado Gray Wolves), Rachel Johnson (Exeter Chiefs, UK), Kathryn Johnson (Twin City Amazons), *Jordan Matyas (USA Sevens), Nicole Strasko (Life West), Hallie Taufo’ou (ARPTC), *Kate Zackary (Exeter Chiefs, UK)
SCRUMHALF
Cassidy Bargell (Harvard), Shelby Lin (Berkeley All Blues), Olivia Ortiz (Chicago North Shore), Carly Waters (Colorado Gray Wolves)
FLYHALF
Gabby Cantorna (Exeter Chiefs, UK), Megan Foster (San Diego Surfers), McKenzie Hawkins (Colorado Gray Wolves), Katana Howard (Twin City Amazons)
CENTER
Meya Bizer (USA Sevens), Joanne Fa’avesi (USA Sevens), Eti Haungatau (Lindenwood), Emily Henrich (Dartmouth), Mata Hingano (Life West), *Alev Kelter (USA Sevens), Amy Talei-Bonte (Life West)
WING/FULLBACK
*Kayla Canett (USA Sevens), Jennine Duncan (Exeter Chiefs, UK), *Tess Feury (NYRC), Leti Hingano (Life West), Kristi Kirshe (USA Sevens), Kayla Lawson (San Diego Surfers), Sarah Levy (NYRC), Ilona Maher (USA Sevens), Bulou Mataitoga (Berkeley All Blues), Jetta Owens (Virginia Tech), Neariah Persinger (Life West), *Kris Thomas (USA Sevens)
*denotes member of RWC 2017 squad
