Eagles name longlist for Women’s World Cup

Rob Cain has named 42 players in his longlist for October’s World Cup in New Zealand. It contains an unprecedented 22 overseas-based players, all but one from England’s Premier 15s competition.

Among the UK-based group is Lotte Clapp, a former England winger who switched allegiance to the USA using the new ‘union transfer’ regulation. She appeared in the non-capped match against Wales in March alongside uncapped Sale flanker Georgie Perris-Reading.

Others who have yet to make their test debuts for the Eagles include prop Erica Jarrell, hooker Jett Hayward, lock Evi Ashenbrucker, wingers Kayla Lawson and Sam Sullivan, and scrumhalf trio Bridget Kahele, Shelby Lin, and Kelsie O’Brien.

There are 10 players who have previously earned selection to the flagship tournament. Hope Rogers is vying for her third consecutive World Cup while outside back Meya Bizer played at the 2014 event but missed out in 2017.

The squad will be trimmed for June’s Pacific Four competition against Australia, Canada, and hosts New Zealand. A three-week training camp will take place this summer, with a UK tour in September also in the process of being confirmed as a final warm-up for the World Cup.

PROP: Catie Benson (Sale Sharks, UK), Charli Jacoby (Loughborough Lightning, UK), Nick James (Sale Sharks, UK), Erica Jarrell (Beantown), Maya Learned (Gloucester-Hartpury, UK), Hope Rogers (Exeter Chiefs, UK)

HOOKER: Saher Hamdan (Life University), Jett Hayward (Life West Gladiatrix), Joanna Kitlinski (Sale Sharks, UK), Kathryn Treder (Beantown)

SECOND ROW: Evi Ashenbrucker (San Diego Surfers), Jenny Kronish (Harlequins, UK), Jordan Matyas (USA Sevens), Kristine Sommer (Gloucester-Hartpury, UK), Hallie Taufo’ou (Loughborough Lightning, UK), Alycia Washington (Worcester Warriors, UK)

BACK ROW: Elizabeth Cairns (Life West), Rachel Ehrecke (Colorado Gray Wolves), Kathryn Johnson (Twin Cities Amazons), Rachel Johnson (Exeter Chiefs, UK), Georgie Perris-Redding (Sale Sharks, UK), Kate Zackary (Exeter Chiefs, UK)

SCRUMHALF: Bridget Kahele (Beantown), Nikki Kenyon (Life West Gladiatrix), Shelby Lin (Berkeley All Blues), Kelsie O’Brien (Colorado Gray Wolves), Olivia Ortiz (Colorado Gray Wolves), Carly Waters (Saracens, UK)

FLYHALF: Gabby Cantorna (Exeter Chiefs, UK), Megan Foster (Exeter Chiefs, UK), McKenzie Hawkins (Life West Gladiatrix)

CENTER: Emily Henrich (Beantown), Katana Howard (Sale Sharks, UK), Alev Kelter (Saracens, UK), Amy Talei-Bonte (Life West Gladiatrix)

OUTSIDE BACKS: Meya Bizer (Beantown), Lotte Clapp (Saracens, UK), Jennine Detiveaux (Exeter Chiefs, UK), Tess Feury (Railway Union, IR), Kayla Lawson (Life West Gladiatrix), Bulou Mataitoga (Loughborough Lightning, UK), Sam Sullivan (Colorado Gray Wolves)