USA Rugby Women’s Eagles vs. Ireland

The USA Rugby Women’s Eagles will end their November Internationals against 8th ranked Ireland on Sunday, November 18 at Energia Park. Kickoff is at 1 pm local time (8 am ET) and will be live on the Irish Rugby YouTube Channel.

USA Rugby Women’s Eagles

Head Coach Rob Cain has made seven changes from the Eagles’ last test match with senior England the Women. Several of the women also played on Tuesday against England Academy, winning 25-24.

Starter changes in the forwards include Nick James, Katy Augustyn, and Kristine Sommer at prop, hooker, and lock, respectively.

In the backs, Carly Waters, Jennine Duncan, Kimber Rozier, and Meya Bizer will start at scrum-half, wing, inside center, and at outside center, respectively.

The Fall internationals feature a number of debuts and could see reserve Tiana A’au gaining her first cap on Sunday.

It has been over four years since the USA last faced Ireland, a loss at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 in France. The Women’s Eagles do have two previous wins against Ireland, but those are only statistics and what matters is how the teams perform on Sunday.

The Women’s Eagles want to travel home with a win, while Ireland wants to evaluate their younger talented players and how they may factor in the 2019 Rugby 6-Nations.

Ireland

This is Ireland’s first November test. Ireland Women’s head coach Adam Griggs has made ten changes from the side that played against England in the final round of last season’s Six Nations. The team balances experience with some younger talent with four uncapped players on the side.

The uncapped quartet includes Lauren Delany and Laura Sheehan at fullback and wing, respectively. Reserve Hooker Emma Hooban and Beibhinn Parsons could gain the first cap as well.

Ballinasloe teenager Parsons is an IRFU Under-18 Interprovincial 15s title winner with Connacht this season and will be 17 on November 30. UL Bohemians winger Sheehan and Hooban, the St Mary’s hooker, have moved through the age-grade pathway toward representing the senior international team, while the Dublin-born Delany gained a place in Ireland’s squad through an IQ Rugby screening day earlier in the year. Delany plays for Firwood Waterloo Ladies in the English Premiership and is in good form.

Ireland’s side also includes experienced players like Lindsay Peat, Sene Naoupu, Claire Molloy and captain Ciara Griffin. Claire Molloy has 62 caps at flanker and is joined by captain Ciara Griffin in the back row. Lindsey Peat and Sene Naoupu are experienced veterans at loosehead prop and at outside center, respectively.

The U.S. has two internationals under their belt, while Ireland is playing their first November test. The team will look to gain a win, but the development of their team’s depth is a priority. The following Saturday, the team will travel to play England at Twickenham.

Squads

Ireland: 1. Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster) 2. Sarah Mimnagh (Richmond/IQ Rugby) 3. Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemians/Munster) 4. Aoife McDermott (Railway Union/Leinster) 5. Ciara Cooney (Railway Union/Leinster) 6. Edel McMahon (Galwegians/Connacht) 7. Claire Molloy (Wasps) 8. Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians/Munster) (capt) 9. Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union/Leinster) 10. Nikki Caughey (Railway Union/Leinster) 11. Laura Sheehan* (UL Bohemians/Munster) 12. Michelle Claffey (Blackrock/Leinster) 13. Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 14. Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians/Munster) 15. Lauren Delany* (Firwood Waterloo Ladies/IQ Rugby) 16. Emma Hooban* (St. Mary’s/Leinster) 17. Laura Feely (Galwegians/Connacht) 18. Leah Lyons (Harlequins) 19. Nichola Fryday (Galwegians/Connacht) 20. Jeamie Deacon (Blackrock/Leinster) 21. Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemians/Munster) 22. Claire McLaughlin (Old Belvedere/Ulster) 23. Beibhinn Parsons* (Ballinasloe/Connacht)

USA Women’s Eagles: 1 Catie Benson (Life West Gladiatrix,16) 2 Katy Augustyn (Berkeley All Blues, 32) 3 Nick James (Houston Athletic, 5) 4 Stacey Bridges (Beantown Rugby, 35) 5. Kristine Sommer (Harlequins (ENG) / Seattle Saracens, 6) 6 Rachel Johnson (Oregon Sports Union, 2) 7. Kate Zackary (C) (San Diego Surfers, 8) 8. Jordan Gray-Matyas (Women’s Sevens Residency, 17) 9. Carly Waters (New York Rugby, 1) 10. Gabby Cantorna (Glendale Merlins, 2) 11. Jennine Duncan (Seattle Saracens, 1) 12. Kimber Rozier (Beantown Rugby, 29) 13. Meya Bizer (Women’s Sevens Residency, 17) 14. Kelsi Stockert (Women’s Sevens Residency, 7) 15. Kaitlyn Broughton (Atlanta Harlequins, 2) 16. Tiana A’au* (Central Washington University, 0) 17. Azniv Nalbandian (Penn State University, 2) 18. Joyce Taufa (Lindenwood University, 2) 19. Alycia Washington (New York Rugby, 16) 20. Anna Karen Pedraza (Lindenwood University, 3) 21. Evan Hoese (Berkeley All Blues, 1) 22. McKenzie Hawkins (Lindenwood University, 2) 23. Megan Foster (San Diego Surfers, 5)