Test Match – Spain vs USA – ARN Guide

Test rugby is back for the USA on Saturday when the Women’s Eagles take on Spain in Madrid. It’s the fourth meeting of the two, with Las Leonas coming up short on all three occasions to date. The most recent was a one-sided shutout at the 2017 World Cup in Ireland.

Interim Eagles coach Rich Ashfield will lean on returning captain Kate Zackary for leadership on the pitch. It’s a largely England-based starting lineup with only four domestic players selected.

Central Washington prop Mae Sagapolu and Eagles Sevens winger Summer Harris-Jones will make their first test appearance in the run-on side, with San Diego lock Evi Ashenbrucker and Colorado flyhalf McKenzie Hawkins the other US-based starters. Cheltenham Tigers flanker Tahlia Brody is handed her first cap and there are five other likely debutantes on the bench.

Life West hooker Jett Hayward was part of the World Cup squad but is yet to win her first cap. Dartmouth supplies flanker Sophia Haley and flyhalf Kristin Bitter, while Beantown lock Megan Neyen and outside back Autumn Czaplicki from the Eagles Sevens program are also set for their test debuts.

Las Leonas are coached by Juan González and feature strength in the front row with captain Cristina Blanco and Gloucester prop Laura Delgado. This is their fourth match of the year with a competitive defeat against Italy followed by strong wins over the Netherlands and Sweden.

Warm and sunny conditions are expected in Madrid on Saturday. The USA enter the match ranked 7th in the world while Spain are in 11th. With a new coach and several new players involved it could take the Eagles some time to find their feet, but they remain favorites to earn a convincing victory.

Kickoff is set for 12:30pm local time, 7:30am Eastern, 4:30am Pacific. A live stream will be available on FERugby TV which requires registration but is free of charge.

 

SPAIN
1 Inés Antolínez, 2 Cristina Blanco (capt.), 3 Laura Delgado, 4 Anna Puig, 5 Kasandra Sylla, 6 Lucía Gayoso, 7 Alba Capell, 8 Carmen Castellucci, 9 Lucía Díaz, 10 Zahía Pérez, 11 Claudia Pérez, 12 Maider Aresti, 13 Alba Vinuesa, 14 Clara Piquero, 15 Claudia Peña

Replacements: 16 María Del Castillo, 17 María de las Huertas Román, 18 Sidorella Bracic, 19 Nerea García, 20 Vico Gorrochategui, 21 Julia Castro, 22 Inés Bueso, 23 Cristina López

USA
1 Hope Rogers, 2 Kathryn Treder, 3 Mae Sagapolu, 4 Jenny Kronish, 5 Evi Ashenbrucker, 6 Tahlia Brody, 7 Georgie Perris-Redding, 8 Kate Zackary (capt.), 9 Olivia Ortiz, 10 McKenzie Hawkins, 11 Bulou Mataitoga, 12 Gabby Cantorna, 13 Eti Haungatau, 14 Summer Harris-Jones, 15 Meya Bizer

Replacements: 16 Jett Hayward, 17 Maya Learned, 18 Catie Benson, 19 Megan Neyen, 20 Sophia Haley, 21 Carly Waters, 22 Kristin Bitter, 23 Autumn Czaplicki

Date: Saturday, March 25
Venue: Estadio Nacional Complutense, Madrid
Kickoff: 12:30 local (04:30 Pacific, 07:30 Eastern)
Broadcasts: FERugby Stream

Referee: Clara Munarini (Italy)
Assistants: Maria Pacifico (Italy) & Maria Heitor (Portugal)
TMO: Félix Villegas (Spain)

HISTORICAL RESULTS
2017-08-13 – USA 43, Spain 0 (Dublin)
2002-05-25 – Spain 5, USA 23 (Barcelona)
1998-05-05 – Spain 16, USA 38 (Amsterdam)