Women’s Eagles hold domestic trials ahead of World Cup

Sione Fukofuka has summoned 40 of the USA’s top domestic talents to attend a six-day training camp at Chula Vista this week. A number of capped players will be hoping to impress the Women’s Eagles selectors with an eye towards World Cup selection later this year.

The group is heavily comprised of players committed to the new Women’s Elite Rugby competition, and supplemented by some collegiate standouts and three USA Sevens veterans. Nicole Heavirland, Joanne Fa’avesi, and Cheta Emba are putting their hands up for potential selection to the flagship 15-a-side tournament to be hosted by England starting in late August.

Joining Fukofuka as Assistant Coaches are Katie Dowty, Kittery Ruiz, and Sarah Chobot. The latter two will head up WER sides in its inaugural season. After a series of skill evaluation and physical testing, the quartet will run the rule over the prospects in a Probables vs Possibles game to close the camp.

PROP
Mikaela Hall (Queens University of Charlotte)
Maya Learned (Denver WER)
Jordynn LeBeau (Dartmouth College)
Caitlin Weigel (New York WER)
Olivia Woods (Sacred Heart University)
Reece Woods (Sacred Heart University)

HOOKER
Sam Brackett (Twin Cities WER)
Hope Cooper (Bay Area WER)
Nafi Fitisemanu (Harvard University)
Saher Hamdan (Denver WER)

SECOND ROW
Emerson Allen (Boston WER)
Evi Ashenbrucker (Bay Area WER)
Rachel Ehrecke (Denver WER)
Marisa Hall (Twin Cities WER)
Jenny Kronish (Boston WER)

BACK ROW
Kapoina Bailey (Denver WER)
Emma Cantrell (Denver WER)
Carson Hann (Denver WER)
Malia Isaacs (Boston WER)
Nikki Lynch (Brown University)
Freda Tafuna (Lindenwood University)
Cindy Taulava (Dartmouth College)

SCRUMHALF
Cassidy Bargell (Boston WER)
Sadie Schier (Dartmouth College)
Taina Tukuafu (Bay Area WER)

FLYHALF
Kristin Bitter (Denver WER)
Joanne Fa’avesi (USA Sevens)
McKenzie Hawkins (Denver WER)
Nicole Heavirland (USA Sevens)

MIDFIELD
Amy Brice (Lindenwood University)
Jenni Laferriere (Boston WER)
Jade McGrath (Bay Area WER)
Tiahna Padilla (Boston WER)

OUTSIDE BACKS
Erica Coulibaly (Denver WER)
Aly Cunningham (Sacred Heart University)
Cheta Emba (unattached)
Kayla Lawson (Twin Cities WER)
Katie Lohaus (Boston WER)
Jetta Owens (New York WER)