July 10, 2016
USA Women’s Eagles End Super Series With a Loss Against England
Photo: The Rugby Channel
Doug Coil
The USA Women’s Eagles lost 39-13 to England to conclude their Women’s Rugby Super Series matches at the Regional Athletic Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Canada went undefeated and won the Series, while England, France and USA finished 2nd, 3rd and 4th, respectively. All matches were broadcast on The Rugby Channel.
The USA Women’s Eagles lost their first two matches of the Women’s Rugby Super Series. They had an early lead against France, but lost 19-13. They then faced Canada, whose second half scores led them to a 33-5 win.
England opened the Series losing 52-17 to eventual champion, Canada and scored a last minute try against France for a 17-13 win.
For the match against England, Associate Head Coach Peter Battaglia made four changes in their starting XV from the match against Canada. Alycia Washington, Christine Pheil and Sylvia Braaten, who started against France, returned as starters. Naya Tapper moved from a reserve role into the starting XV. Tess Feury, who played for the USA Collegiate All-Americans against the Canada Maple Leafs on July 5th, was a reserve and earned her first cap when she entered the match in the 60th minute.
England made four changes to the side that beat France for their final game of the Series. Katie Mason, Bianca Blackburn, Izzy Noel-Smith and Vickii Cornborough joined the starting XV. Worcester Valkries centre Ceri Large earn her 50th cap in this match, just as Laura Keates earned hers earlier.
USA v England
It only took four minutes before England backs used quick hands leading to a Lydia Thompson try in the corner. This would be the first of three tries that she would score on the day and was the Woman of the Match.
Hope Rogers would get the Eagles to within 5 meters of the line, but a turnover to England was cleared and the Eagles lost the opportunity to tie the match or to take the lead.
Tow minutes later the England forwards took the lineout and from a rolling maul ,Amy Cokayne was in for a try. Once again the conversion was missed.
It wasn’t until the 37th minute that Kimber Rozier added a penalty kick to get the Eagles into the scoring column.
England answered right back with a stolen ball, a quick pass outside and this resulted in Lydia Thompson’s second try. At halftime England had a 15-3 lead.
One minute into the second half England turned a lineout into an Alex Matthews try. Lauren Cattell converted and England increased their lead to 20-3.
Kimber Rozier added a second penalty kick for the Eagles at the 52nd minute to narrow the score to 20-6.
England then added three more tries as the backs used the width of the pitch in moving the Eagles from side to side. This eventually opened the middle and also the wing for attacks by England.
Millie Wood found a gap through the middle for a try at the 58th minute, Alex Matthews scored after a lineout at the 65th minute, and Lydia Thompson added a hat trick try two minutes later.
The last try of the day went to the Eagles, as Alycia Washington scored a try after a quick tap and the conversion was good by Rozier. The final score was England 39 to 13 for the USA.
He then added that “I think you saw, in bits and pieces, an attacking structure that allows us to move the ball and attack through the spaces. I thought we played, at times, some exciting rugby. There was some nice offloading, nice running lines; we saw glimpses of that.”
“What we didn’t have is enough consistency with that attacking play and enough consistency with taking care of the ball. Once again, it’s incumbent on us as coaches to find out what we need to do better to prepare the team.”
USA Women’s Eagles: 1. Catherine Benson 2. Kathryn Augustyn 3. Hope Rogers 4. Stacey Bridges (Capt) 5. Alycia Washington 6. Christiane Pheil 7.Elizabeth Cairns 8. Jordan Gray 9. Jennifer Lui 10. Kimberly Rozier 11. Naya Tapper 12. Sylvia Braaten 13. Nate Serevi 14. Saskia Morgan 15. Jessica Wooden 16. Samantha Pinkey 17. Tiffany Faaee 18. Jamila Reinhardt 19. Molly Kinsella 20. Nicole Strasko 21. Deven Owsiany 22. Megan Foster 23. Tess Feury
England: 1. Vickii Cornborough 2. Amy Cokayne 3. Laura Keates 4. Harriet Millar-Mills 5. Tamara Taylor 6. Alex Matthews 7. Izzy Noel-Smith 8. Sarah Hunter (c) 9. Bianca Blackburn 10. Amber Reed 11. Lotte Clapp 12. Ceri Large 13. Lauren Cattell 14. Lydia Thompson 15. Fiona Pocock 16. Lark Davies 17. Rochelle Clark 18. Sarah Bern 19. Zoe Aldcroft 20. Poppy Leitch 21. Leanne Riley 22. Millie Wood 23. Katie Mason
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