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The Pacific Four wraps up on Friday with a double-header at TD Place Stadium in Ottawa. Opening the afternoon is the USA Eagles against the world champion New Zealand Black Ferns.
Rich Ashfield opted to field an inexperienced side against Australia on Saturday and the result was a dominant victory for the Wallaroos. The Eagles are now resigned to playing in the second tier of the WXV and show three changes to the run-on side.
Charli Jacoby anchors the front row with Mae Sagapolu dropping out of the match day squad. Rachel Ehrecke swaps jerseys with Evi Ashenbrucker to start at lock. Erica Jarrell could make her test debut as a replacement. There is a change on the left wing where Summer Harris-Jones takes over for Lotte Clapp.
New Zealand were challenged up front by the Canadians but used their outstanding backline to pull away in the final quarter. They are now poised to sweep the series and take the top seed position heading into the new WXV competition later this year.
Allan Bunting has made wholesale changes to his side with two new caps in the front row. Esther Faiaoga-Tilo and Grace Gago are on debut, while 21-year-old second row Maia Roos will become the youngest captain in Black Ferns history with Kennedy Simon and Ruahei Demant both left on the bench.
Ideal conditions are expected at kickoff. That’s good news for New Zealand, who will look to stretch the USA defense and put on another display of attacking rugby. The Eagles might hold on until halfway but expect another lopsided scoreline in favor of the world champs come the final whistle.
Kickoff is set for 4pm local time, 1pm Pacific. FloRugby will broadcast in the USA, with TSN Digital available in Canada, Sky Sport in New Zealand, and a World Rugby stream available for those located elsewhere.
USA
1 Catie Benson, 2 Kathryn Treder, 3 Charli Jacoby, 4 Rachel Ehrecke, 5 Hallie Taufo’ou, 6 Freda Tafuna, 7 Georgie Perris-Redding, 8 Rachel Johnson, 9 Taina Tukuafu, 10 McKenzie Hawkins, 11 Summer Harris-Jones, 12 Eti Haungatau, 13 Kate Zackary (capt.), 14 Jennine Detiveaux, 15 Tess Feury
Replacements: 16 Jett Hayward, 17 Mona Tupou, 18 Tiara A’au, 19 Evi Ashenbrucker, 20 Erica Jarrell, 21 Olivia Ortiz, 22 Joanne Fa’avesi, 23 Meya Bizer
NEW ZEALAND
1 Esther Faiaoga-Tilo, 2 Grace Gago, 3 Amy Rule, 4 Joanah Ngan-Woo, 5 Maia Roos (capt.), 6 Lucy Jenkins, 7 Kendra Reynolds, 8 Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, 9 Iritana Hohaia, 10 Rosie Kelly, 11 Grace Steinmetz, 12 Grace Brooker, 13 Amy du Plessis, 14 Kelsey Teneti, 15 Tenika Willison
Replacements: 16 Georgia Ponsonby, 17 Phillipa Love, 18 Tanya Kalounivale, 19 Chelsea Bremner, 20 Kennedy Simon, 21 Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, 22 Ruahei Demant, 23 Renee Holmes
Date: Friday, July 14
Venue: TD Place Stadium, Ottawa
Kickoff: 16:00 local (13:00 Pacific)
Broadcasts: FloRugby, Sky Sport NZ, TSN Digital, World Rugby
Referee: Julianne Zussman (Canada)
Assistants: Shanda Assmus (Canada) & Kristine Lovatt (Canada)
TMO: Chris Assmus (Canada)
HISTORICAL RESULTS
2022-06-18 – New Zealand 50, USA 6 (Auckland)
2019-07-14 – USA 0, New Zealand 33 (Chula Vista)
2018-11-03 – USA 6, New Zealand 67 (Chicago)
2017-08-22 – New Zealand 45, USA 12 (Belfast)
2015-07-05 – USA 14, New Zealand 47 (Edmonton)
2014-08-17 – USA 5, New Zealand 55 (Paris)
2014-08-09 – New Zealand 34, USA 3 (Paris)
2004-06-13 – USA 0, New Zealand 35 (Calgary)
2000-09-27 – USA 0, New Zealand 45 (Winnipeg)
1999-10-19 – New Zealand 65, USA 5 (Palmerston North)
1998-05-16 – New Zealand 44, USA 12 (Amsterdam)
1996-09-11 – USA 8, New Zealand 88 (Edmonton)
1991-04-12 – New Zealand 0, USA 7 (Cardiff)
1990-08-30 – New Zealand 9, USA 3 (Christchurch)
