Women’s Eagles squad named for WXV tests

A traveling squad of 30 players will represent the USA at the inaugural Women’s XV tournament in October. The Eagles will be coached by Milton Haig, though outgoing interim head coach Rich Ashfield will remain with the setup for their training camp in Ireland.

Two uncapped players – hooker Paige Stathopoulos and back row Yeja Dunn – are named in the group, both impressing with Beantown RFC. There are also injury returns for world class prop Hope Rogers and strong-running three-quarter Emily Henrich.

There are currently 14 members of the squad signed up to English Premiership clubs and more could yet join with the regular season not due to start until November.

Four players will train with the side in Ireland but are on standby for the WXV. Two are test veterans in Beantown lock Jenny Kronish and USA Sevens flyer Sarah Levy. Uncapped graduates of the u23 program are Notre Dame prop Alivia Leatherman and former Penn State winger Amanda Berta.

The USA will play four tests in all during their fall campaign. Prior to the WXV, they will take on Wales in a warm-up match on September 30. Samoa, Scotland, and Italy will be their opponents on successive weekends in the WXV starting on October 14.

 

PROP
Tiara A’au (NYRC)
Catie Benson (Sale Sharks, UK)
Charli Jacoby (Colorado Gray Wolves)
Hope Rogers (Exeter Chiefs, UK)
Mae Sagapolu (Leicester Tigers, UK)
Mona Tupou (EPA Razorbacks)

HOOKER
Paige Stathopoulos (Beantown)
Kathryn Treder (Loughborough Lightning, UK)

SECOND ROW
Evi Ashenbrucker (San Diego Surfers)
Rachel Ehrecke (Colorado Gray Wolves)
Erica Jarrell (Beantown)
Hallie Taufo’ou (Beantown)

BACK ROW
Tahlia Brody (Leicester Tigers, UK)
Yeja Dunn (Beantown)
Rachel Johnson (Exeter Chiefs, UK)
Georgie Perris-Redding (Sale Sharks, UK)
Freda Tafuna (Lindenwood)

SCRUMHALF
Taina Tukuafu (Lindenwood)
Carly Waters (Colorado Gray Wolves)

FLYHALF
Meya Bizer (Ealing Trailfinders, UK)
Gabby Cantorna (Exeter Chiefs, UK)

MIDFIELD
Eti Haungatau (Sale Sharks, UK)
Emily Henrich (Beantown)
Mata Hingano (USA Sevens)
Kate Zackary (Ealing Trailfinders, UK)

OUTSIDE BACKS
Lotte Clapp (Saracens, UK)
Autumn Czaplicki (USA Sevens)
Tess Feury (Leicester Tigers, UK)
Summer Harris-Jones (USA Sevens)
Bulou Mataitoga (Loughborough Lightning, UK)

 

FIXTURES
09/30 – vs Wales (Colwyn Bay)
10/14 – vs Samoa (Stellenbosch)
10/20 – vs Scotland (Cape Town)
10/28 – vs Italy (Cape Town)