Test Match – Wales vs USA – ARN Guide

The USA will play their only tune-up for the WXV against Wales in Colwyn Bay on Saturday. It’s the first time the two sides have met in a full test since the 2014 World Cup, though a USA Falcons XV defeated Wales in a non-cap friendly in March of last year.

Milton Haig assumes the USA’s Interim Head Coach role for the first time after taking over from Rich Ashfield. He will field a nearly identical pack to that which faced New Zealand, with the only change at tighthead prop where Mae Sagapolu swaps in for Charli Jacoby. Beantown hooker Paige Stathopoulos is set to debut as a replacement.

It’s all change in the backs, however, where only Kate Zackary and Tess Feury remain. Carly Waters and Gabby Cantorna are the new halfbacks, with sevens international Mata Hingano earning her first full cap in the midfield. Sarah Levy and Bulou Mataitoga are recalled at left wing and fullback respectively.

EDIT: Mata Hingano is a late withdrawal from the USA lineup due to injury. Eti Haungatau starts at inside center with Emily Henrich joining the bench.

Wales coach Ioan Cunningham will look to the likes of Carys Phillips and captain Hannah Jones for leadership, while star attacker Jaz Joyce returns to the lineup for the first time in a year. Robyn Wilkins is handed the No10 shirt after the retirement of Elinor Snowsill, and there are debuts in line for starting winger Carys Cox and reserve fullback Nel Metcalfe.

The weather should be typical for Colwyn Bay, which means dreary and damp. That benefits the home side with a physical pack set to face the Eagles. Zackary’s hard running will be critical for the USA as they look to leap-frog their opponents on the World Rankings with Wales narrowly ahead in 6th spot.

Kickoff is set for 2:30pm local time, 6:30am Pacific, 9:30 am Eastern. A live broadcast will be available on the Wales Rugby YouTube channel.

WALES
1 Gwenllian Pyrs, 2 Carys Phillips, 3 Sisilia Tuipulotu, 4 Abbie Fleming, 5 Georgia Evans, 6 Alisha Butchers, 7 Alex Callender, 8 Bethan Lewis, 9 Keira Bevan, 10 Robyn Wilkins, 11 Carys Cox, 12 Kerin Lake, 13 Hannah Jones (capt.), 14 Lisa Neumann, 15 Jasmine Joyce

Replacements: 16 Kelsey Jones, 17 Abbey Constable, 18 Donna Rose, 19 Kate Williams, 20 Sioned Harries, 21 Meg Davies, 22 Lleucu George, 23 Nel Metcalfe

USA
1 Catie Benson, 2 Kathryn Treder, 3 Mae Sagapolu, 4 Hallie Taufo’ou, 5 Rachel Ehrecke, 6 Freda Tafuna, 7 Georgie Perris-Redding, 8 Rachel Johnson, 9 Carly Waters, 10 Gabby Cantorna, 11 Sarah Levy, 12 Eti Haungatau, 13 Kate Zackary (capt.), 14 Tess Feury, 15 Bulou Mataitoga

Replacements: 16 Paige Stathopoulos, 17 Mona Tupou, 18 Charli Jacoby, 19 Erica Jarrell, 20 Tahlia Brody, 21 Taina Tukuafu, 22 Meya Bizer, 23 Emily Henrich

Date: Saturday, September 30
Venue: Parc Eirias, Colwyn Bay
Kickoff: 14:30 local (06:30 Pacific, 09:30 Eastern)
Broadcasts: YouTube

Referee: Clara Munarini (Italy)
Assistants: Lauren Jenner (New Zealand) & Clotilde Benvenuti (Italy)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)

HISTORICAL RESULTS
2014-06-28 – Wales 7, USA 10 (Cross Keys RFC, Crosskeys)
2001-11-18 – Wales 17, USA 20 (Eugene Cross Park, Ebbw Vale)
1994-04-20 – Wales 15, USA 45 (Gala RFC, Galashiels)
1993-06-10 – USA 26, Wales 0 (Fletcher’s Fields, Toronto)