Women’s Rugby Super Series July 5th Squads

The Women’s Super Series is being held in Salt Lake City and includes matches between Canada, England, France and the United States on July 1, 5 and 9, 2016. Rugby Utah, the state’s USA Rugby-sanctioned governing body for the sport, has partnered with USA Rugby and Utah Sports Commission to support the World Rugby-sanctioned Women’s Rugby Super Series as it comes to Utah.

In addition to the Super Series, the USA Junior All-Americans will play the Canada’s Maple Leafs on the July 5th and 9th. A women’s age-grade Stars and Stripes Camp was held alongside the Series and served as a selection vehicle to the USA Junior All-Americans.

On July 1st, Canada won 52-17 against England and the Eagles lost 19-13 against France.

The July 5th matches will feature begin with the USA Rugby AIG Collegiate All-Americans against Canada’s developmental Maple Leafs at 1pm MT. At 3pm, England then plays France and the final match of the day will pit the USA Women’s Eagles against Canada at 5pm MT. All matches throughout the Super Series are broadcast live on The Rugby Channel.

USA Women’s Eagles v. Canada 1. Catherine Benson 2. Kathryn Augustyn 3. Hope Rogers 4. Stacey Bridges (Capt) 5. Molly Kinsella 6. Elizabeth Cairns 7. Nicole Strasko 8. Jordan Gray 9. Jennifer Lui 10. Kimberly Rozier 11. Cheta Emba 12. Jenn Sever 13. Nate Serevi 14. Saskia Morgan 15. Jessica Wooden 16. Joanna Kitlinski 17. Tiffany Faaee 18. Jamila Reinhardt 19. Alycia Washington 20. Christiane Pheil 21. Deven Owsiany 22. Megan Foster 23. Naya Tapper

Interim Head Coach Shaun Allen has made one change to Canada’s Senior Women’s starting XV for Tuesday’s Women’s Rugby Super Series game against the USA.

Katie McNally is rewarded for her try against England with a start on the wing in place of Frédérique Rajotte who moves to the bench.

Allen commented on the 52-17 win against England in saying that “We did a very good job on attack against England. The understanding and commitment shown by the squad was exactly what we were looking for in our first fixture. Against the USA we are looking for the players to perform their specific roles and to improve on the refinements that we have worked on in training and our review.”

The Women’s Rugby Super Series has teams playing three matches in eight days. Allen said “We have had a limited time to practice between games. The priority has been on recovery and making sure that all the players are able to play at as close to 100 percent as possible. In our training we were looking at small improvements in some key areas that the coaches and players identified through video.”

1 Carolyn McEwen 2 Mary-Jane Kirby 3 DaLeaka Menin 4 Laura Russell (C) 5 Kayla Mack 6 Barbara Mervin 7 Latoya Blackwood 8 Jacy Murphy 9 Chelsea Guthrie 10 Emily Belchos 11 Katie McNally 12 Andrea Burk 13 Alex Tessier 14 Brittany Waters 15 Julianna Zussman 16 Demi Stamatatis 17 Olvia DeMerchant 18 Tyson Beukebbom 19 Fabiola Forteza 20 Katie Svoboda 21 Brianna Miller 22 Anais Holly 23 Frederique Rajotte

Lead coach Scott Bemand has made seven changes to the starting XV from their July 1st loss to Canada 52-17.

Lauren Cattell comes in at outside centre while Fiona Pocock, Laura Keates, Alex Matthews and Poppy Leitch earn a call up to the starting XV. The other two changes had Harriet Millar-Mills moving from flanker to lock, while Katie Mason moved from fullback to wing.

Should Zoe Aldcroft and Sarah Bern enter the match, they would gain their first cap.

Bemand said “We have regrouped since the Canada game and are ready to face France, a side we know well. We were disappointed by our performance last time as we didn’t adapt well enough on the day. We have looked at what we need to improve, as well as the things we did well, and we want to make amends for the Six Nations result in March.”

1. Rochelle Clark 2. Amy Cokayne 3. Laura Keates 4. Harriet Millar-Mills 5. Tamara Taylor 6. Alex Matthews 7. Poppy Leitch 8. Sarah Hunter (c) 9. La Toya Mason 10. Amber Reed 11. Katie Mason 12. Ceri Large 13. Lauren Cattell 14. Lydia Thompson 15. Fiona Pocock 16. Lark Davies 17. Vickii Cornborough 18. Sarah Bern 19. Zoe Aldcroft 20. Izzy Noel-Smith 21. Leanne Riley 22. Millie Wood 23. Lotte Clapp

France has made eleven changes to their starting XV from their 19-13 win over the USA.

Six of these changes are in the forwards with the entire front row changing. Dhia Maylis Traore and Patricia Carricaburu are props, while Manon Bigot is at hooker. Audrey Forlani is at lock, while backrow changes include, Virginia Griere at flanker and Safi N’Diaye at eight. N’Diaye will also captain the side.

The Backs changes have Laure Sansus playing scrumhalf and connecting with Camille Imart at flyhalf. Camille Boudaud and Elodie Poublan are centres and Caroline Boujar is at wing.

1 Dhia Maylis Traore 2 Manon Bigot 3 Patricia Carricaburu 4 Manon Andre 5 Audrey Forlani 6 Pauline Soulard 7 Virginia Griere 8 Safi N’Diaye (c) 9 Yanna Rivoalen 10 Camille Imart 11 Caroline Boujard 12 Camille Boudaud 13 Elodie Puublan 14 Camile Cabalou 15 Laura Delas 16 Agathe Sochat 17 Laure Clermidy 18 Emile Mathieu 19 Romane Menager 20 Yanna Rivoalen 21 Carla Neissen 22 Audrey Abadie 23 Julie Duval

USA Collegiate All-Americans v Canada Developmental Maple Leafs

USA Rugby AIG Women’s Collegiate All-Americans Head Coach Sue Whitwell has selected 26 athletes from the Junior and Collegiate Stars and Stripes Camp for a two-match series with Rugby Canada’s Maple Leafs on July 5 and 9.

1. Rebekah Hebdon 2. Bridget Kahele 3. Azniv Nalbandian 4. Haley Schafer 5. Jennifer Johnson (C) 6. Yeja Dunn 7. Frieda Fetu’u 8. Ilona Maher 9. Kat Ramage 10. Gabby Cantorna 11. Francesca Sands 12. McKenzie Hawkins 13. Sarah Buonpane 14. Uzo Okoro 15. Tess Feury 16. Nicole Benedetti 17. Danielle Ordway 18. Kaityln Broughton 19. Megan Ro 20. Jessica Lewis 21. Bailey Johnson 22. Taylah Pipkin 23. Lanoira Duhart 24. Katie Loughran 25. Elizabeth Rose 26. Ally Day

Nicole Benedetti – Brandywine Riot Kaitlyn Broughton – Life University Sarah Buonopane – Beantown Gabriella Cantorna – Pennsylvania State University Allyson Day – Norwich University Lanoira Duhart – Winona State University Yejadai Dunn – Dartmouth College Frieda Fetu’u – Berkeley All Blues Tess Feury – Pennsylvania State University McKenzie Hawkins – Lindenwood University Rebekah Hebdon – Brigham Young University Bailey Johnson – Minnesota Valkyries Jennifer Johnson – Central Washington University Bridget Kahele – American International College Jessica Lewis – University of California, Berkeley Katherine Loughran – University of Notre Dame Ilona Maher – Quinnipiac University Azniv Nalbandian – Pennsylvania State University Uzoamaka Okoro – Brown University Danielle Ordway – Davenport University Taylah Pipkin – Pennsylvania State University Katherine Ramage – Dartmouth College Megan Rom – Life University Elizabeth Rose – Pennsylvania State University Francesca Sands – Dartmouth College Haley Schafer – Central Washington University

Coaching Staff: Sue Whitwell – Head Coach, Melanie Denham – Assistant Coach, James English – Assistant Coach, Lance Pruett – Manager

Canada’s Maple Leafs two-game series against the USA Collegiate All-Americans will be captained by Lori Josephson. The team features a mix of players with test experience, as well as, some of Canada’s rising young stars.

Canada’s Senior Interim Head Coach Shaun Allen said “The Maple Leafs Series against the USA Collegiate All-Americans is very important to both the short term and long term success of the Women’s Senior program. It is fantastic to have the opportunity to have the senior and Maple Leaf groups in the same location at the same time and to share coaching and management resources.”

“The USA CAA will be a strong side and will give the players representing the Maple Leafs a great opportunity to show what they are capable of under international pressure.”

1. Colleen Irowa 2. Kathleen Keller 3. Chelsey Minter 4. Emma Taylor 5. Camile Provençal-Aube 6. Katie Svoboda 7. Sara Svoboda 8. Daria Keane 9. Lori Josephson, captain 10. Mackenzie Higgs 11. Elysa Sandron 12. Julia Goss 13. Amanda Williams 14. Natasha Smith 15. Alanna Fittes 16. Simone Savory 17. Megan Copeland 18. Brittany Kassil 19. Gillian Boag 20. Ngalula Fuamba 21. Gabrielle Senft 22. Justine Pelletier 23. Jess Neilson 24. Lisa Gauthier 25. Petra Woods 26. Gillian Allen

Maple Leafs Coaching Staff: Dan Valley- Rugby Canada Development Coach, Amy Stefaniuk- Therapist, Megan Lowry- Tour Manager

Women’s Rugby Sevens Super Series to be held in Salt lake City