November 21, 2016
USA Women’s Eagles Selected for First Match Against France
Doug Coil
The USA Women’s Eagles begin the first match of their two match November Tour against France in Béziers, France at 3pm ET at Stade de la Méditerranée Tuesday, Nov. 22. They then play France again on Friday, Nov. 25 at 3 p.m. ET at Altrad Stadium.
USA Women’s Eagles Associate Head Coach Peter Baggetta will be coaching the team on this tour, sponsored by Atavus as Haed Coach Pete Seingberg is on personal leave. The matches are being broadcast on The Rugby Channel and on France 4 in France.
Hope Rogers will captain the side and was one of eight members of the starting XV at the Women’s Rugby Super Series this past summer. Six of these players, Kate Daly, Katy Augustyn, Sylvia Braaten, Hope Rogers and Kimber Rozier, also were part of the 2014 World Cup team.
Rogers and World Cup reserve Sam Pankey were named as part of the USA’s first XVs Residency Program earlier this year along with 2016 Premier League Most Valuable Player, Jordan Gray.
Rogers is joined in the front row by Katy Augustyn at hooker and Sarah Chobot at loosehead prop. Alycia Washington andJordan Gray are at locks. The back row consists Christiane Pheil and Kate Zackary at flanker, while Kate Daleywill be at No. 8.
The Eagles forwards are a phyical group that face a formidable task that has is an experienced side that includes only one debutante.
In the backs, Jenny Lui will combine with Kimber Rozier at halfbacks providing experience at these key postiions. Alev Kelter will have the chance to show the attacking skills she developed as a Sevens player and is paired with the veteran Sylvia Braaten at center. There is plenty of speed at the wings with Kelsi Stockert and Tess Feury, while Jessica Wooden will be a fullback.
Kimber Rozier and Jess Wooden spent time with Aylesford Ladies earlier this year, and nearly half of the team have been training full-time with either National Development Academy or the Sevens.
The Eagles last played in France at the World Cup two years ago, and have not faced France on its home turf since a similar two-match November series in 2012. Both nations were recently drawn into separate Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 pools less than a year out from the eighth edition of the tournament in Ireland.
Coming into the match, the United States is ranked seventh, while France is ranked fourth.
Scrum-half Pauline Bourdon impressed against England in the Six Nations, and is backed up by the experienced Yanna Rivoalen. Bourdon’s club team-mate from AS Bayonne, Lauriane Lissar, a reserve with the sevens in Rio, also gets a chance at fifteens.
Romane Menager’s twin sister Marine, will earn her first cap. Scrumqueens indicates that the twins are difficult to tell apart, although Romane has a ponytail. Marine will play at wing, while Romane will be at No. 8.
Just like for the USA, these matches provide the players the opportunity to impress. Coaches Jean-Michel Gonzalez and Philippe Laurent, will be watching closely as will Peter Baggetta for the Eagles.
Scrumqueens suggested that Arricastre, Carricaburu, Deshayes, Guiglion, Le Duff, Menager (R), Mignot and N’Diaye may be the core around which France’s World Cup team will be built.
Women’s Eagles v. France – Match One: 1. Sarah Chobot 2. Katy Augustyn 3. Hope Rogers(C) 4. Alycia Washington 5. Jordan Gray 6. Christiane Pheil 7. Kate Zackary 8. Kate Daley 9. Jennifer Lui 10. Kimber Rozier 11. Kelsi Stockert 12. Sylvia Braaten 13. Alev Kelter 14. Tess Feury 15. Jessica Wooden 16. Samantha Pankey 17. Catherine Benson 18. Tiffany Faaee 19. Abby Gustaitis 20. Elizabeth Cairns 21. Joanne Fa’avesi 22. Naya Tapper 23. Megan Foster
France v. USA – Match One: 1. Annëlle Dessayes 2. Agathe Sochat 3. Julie Dubal 4. Lenaig Corson 5. Audrey Forlani 6. Marion Peyronnet 7. Laetitia Grand 8. Romane Menager 9. Pauline Bourdon 10. Audrey Abadie 11. Marine Menager 12. Lucille Godiveau 13. Caroline Ladagnous 14. Elodie Guiglion 15. Laurianne Lissar 16. Carline Thomas 17. Lise Arricastre 18. Manon Andre 19. Safi N’Diaye 20. Yanna Rivoalen 21. Elodie Poublan 22. Christelle Le Duff 23. Laure Touye
Tour Squads
USA Squad for France Tour: Katy Augustyn (Berkeley All Blues (WPL)); Catherine Benson (Life West); Sylvia Braaten (Twin Cities Amazons (WPL)); Elizabeth Cairns (Unattached); Sarah Chobot (Glendale Raptors (WPL)); Kate Daley (New York Rugby Club (WPL)); Tiffany Faaee (New York Rugby Club (WPL)); Joanne Fa’avesi* (US Sevens squad); Tess Feury (Pennsylvania State University); Megan Foster (Life West); Jordan Gray (Residency / San Diego Surfers (WPL)); Abby Gustaitis* (Northern Virginia Rugby Club); Rebekah Hebdon* (Brigham Young University); Alev Kelter* (US Sevens squad); Joanna Kitlinski (Glendale Raptors (WPL)); Jennifer Lui (Glendale Raptors (WPL)); Jane Paar (US Sevens squad); Samantha Pankey (Residency / San Diego Surfers (WPL)); Christiane Pheil (Chicago North Shore); Hope Rogers (Residency / San Diego Surfers (WPL)); Kimber Rozier (Scion Sirens / Aylesford Ladies); Kelsi Stockert (Seattle Saracens); Naya Tapper (US Sevens squad); Alycia Washington (New York Rugby Club (WPL)); Jessica Wooden (American Rugby Pro Training Center / Aylesford Ladies); Kate Zackary* (US Sevens squad / San Diego Surfers (WPL))
*Indicates player uncapped at international test level
Non-Traveling Reserves: Baylee Annis; Nicole Heavirland (US Sevens squad); Saskia Morgan (Scion Sirens); Sara Parsons (Northern Virginia Rugby Club); Jamila Reinhardt (San Diego Surfers (WPL)); Lauren Rhode (Berkeley All Blues (WPL)); Jennifer Sever (Life West)
Coaching Staff: Peter Baggetta (Head Coach); Martha Daines (Assistant Coach); Richard Ashfield (Assistant Coach); Amy Valenta (Physiotherapist); Bri Arsenault (Physiotherapist); Katie Gloyer (Team Doctor); Roshna Wunderlich (Team Manager)
French squads for USA:
First Test: Audrey Abadie (Blagnac-Saint Orens Rugby féminin); Manon Andre (Blagnac-Saint Orens Rugby féminin); Lise Arricastre (Lons Rugby féminin Béarn Pyrénées); Pauline Bourdon (AS Bayonne); Patricia Carricaburu (Lons Rugby féminin Béarn Pyrénées); Lenaïg Corson (Stade Rennais); Annaëlle Deshayes (Ovalie Caennaise); Julie Duval (Ovalie Caennaise); Audrey Forlani (Blagnac-Saint Orens Rugby féminin); Lucille Godiveau (Bobigny); Laetitia Grand (Lons Rugby féminin Béarn Pyrénées); Elodie Guiglion (FFR); Caroline Ladagnous (Bobigny); Christelle Le Duff (Stade Olympique Villelonguet); Lauriane Lissar (AS Bayonne); Marine Menager (Lille Métropole Rugby Club Villeneuvois); Romane Menager (Lille Métropole Rugby Club Villeneuvois); Gaëlle Mignot (Montpellier HR); Safi N’diaye (Montpellier HR); Marion Peyronnet (Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); Elodie Poublan (Montpellier HR); Yanna Rivoalen (Lille Métropole Rugby Club Villeneuvois); Agathe Sochat (Bordeaux); Caroline Thomas (Romagnat ASM)
Second test: Lise Arricastre (Lons Rugby féminin Béarn Pyrénées); Manon Bigot (Blagnac-Saint Orens Rugby féminin); Pauline Bourdon (AS Bayonne); Camille Cabalou (AS Bayonne); Patricia Carricaburu (Lons Rugby féminin Béarn Pyrénées); Lenaïg Corson (Stade Rennais); Laura Delas (Tarbes); Annaëlle Deshayes (Ovalie Caennaise); Julie Duval (Ovalie Caennaise); Céline Ferer (AS Bayonne); Audrey Forlani (Blagnac-Saint Orens Rugby féminin); Elodie Guiglion (FFR); Gaëlle Hermet (Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); Camille Imart (Stade Toulousain Rugby Féminin); Caroline Ladagnous (Bobigny); Christelle Le Duff (Stade Olympique Villelonguet); Lauriane Lissar (AS Bayonne); Marine Menager (Lille Métropole Rugby Club Villeneuvois); Romane Menager (Lille Métropole Rugby Club Villeneuvois); Gaëlle Mignot (Montpellier HR); Safi N’diaye (Montpellier HR); Elodie Poublan (Montpellier HR); Pauline Rayssac (Montpellier HR)
Women’s Eagles | November Tour
v. France – Tuesday, Nov. 22 @ 3 p.m. ET – Stade de la Méditerranée
v. France – Friday, Nov. 25 @ 3 p.m. ET – Altrad Stadium
