The USA Women’s Eagles gather this week for a third assembly in 2023, landing in Dublin where they will train and scrimmage with Ireland before heading to Wales for a warm up match ahead of WXV2 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Notable names return from injury as two players look for an opportunity for their USA National Team debut.
Thirty athletes have been named to the Wales and WXV player pool, with four changes between the Ireland, Wales, and WXV camps. The pool includes a consistency from the previous two assemblies for the Pacific Four Series, alongside some new names, continuing to more athletes the chance to earn playing experience and put their hand up for future selection on the senior international stage. Paige Stathopolous and Yeja Dunn, two standouts from the Women’s Premier League over the last few years, join the team with an opportunity to earn their first USA Eagles cap. Hope Rogers will rejoin the team in South Africa for the first time since April, after recovering from an injury sustained during the Premiership season, while impactful back Emily Henrich will also look for her first match appearance of 2023.
Four players, Sarah Levy, Jenny Kronish, and uncapped players Alivia Leatherman and Amanda Berta will exclusively train with the team in Ireland as training depth for upcoming test matches. Leatherman joins after a strong showing with the U23s this summer.
Interim Head Coach Rich Ashfield, who will remain with the team in Ireland before handing over the reins to Milton Haig for the remainder of camp, said, “I think we have an exciting group that can continue the positive work we did in Canada in July. This tour to Ireland and Wales gives us another opportunity to build experience and start to hone the skills required to win games at WXV. Handing off to someone of Milton's experience is exciting for the program and I am sure he will help drive the program forward into WXV.”
Newly appointed interim head coach Milton Haig added, “All Teams at the WXV Tournament will be wanting to make improvements on their previous performances and we will be no different. I'm excited about some of the talent I've seen in the team and am confident we can make incremental improvements as we move forward from our time in Europe to the competition in South Africa. Ultimately we want to win test matches and work our way up the world rankings. This is not only a realistic goal but an achievable one. It will take hard work, some resilience and confidence to execute what we train, but we are ready and willing for that.”
| Name | Club |
|---|---|
| Catie Benson | Sale Sharks |
| Monalisa Tupou | Life West/EPA Razorbacks |
| Kathryn Treder | Loughborough Lightning |
| Paige Stathopoulos | Beantown RFC |
| Keia Mae Sagapolu | Leicester Tigers |
| Tiara A’au | NYRC |
| Charli Jacoby | Colorado Gray Wolves |
| Hallie Taufoou | Beantown RFC |
| Erica Jarrell | Beantown RFC |
| Rachel Ehrecke | Colorado Gray Wolves |
| Freda Tafuna | Lindenwood University |
| Georgie Perris-Redding | Sale Sharks |
| Tahlia Brody | Leicester Tigers |
| Rachel Johnson | Exeter Chiefs |
| Yeja Dunn | Beantown RFC |
| Carly Waters | Colorado Gray Wolves |
| Taina Tukuafu | Lindenwood University |
| Gabby Cantorna | Exeter Chiefs |
| Meya Bizer | Ealing Trailfinders |
| Autumn Czaplicki | USA Sevens |
| Eti Haungatau | Sale Sharks |
| Mata Hingano | USA Sevens |
| Kate Zackary | Ealing Trailfinders |
| Emily Henrich | Beantown RFC |
| Tess Feury | Leicester Tigers |
| Bulou Mataitoga | Berkeley All Blues |
| Ireland | Only |
| Sarah Levy | USA Sevens |
| Alivia Leatherman | Notre Dame College |
| Amanda Berta | Experts PR7s |
| Jenny Kronish | Beantown RFC |
| WXV | Only |
| Hope Rogers | Exeter Chiefs |
| Charlotte “Lotte” Clapp | Saracens |
| Evi Ashenbrucker | San Diego Surfers |
| Summer Harris-Jones | USA Sevens |
Head Coach (Ireland) | Rich Ashfield
Head Coach (Wales & WXV) | Milton Haig
Assistant Coach | John Haggart
Assistant Coach | Melodie Bosman
Strength & Conditioning | Sylvia Braaten
Lead Physiotherapist | Katherine Henry
Team Doctor | Rachel Sachs
Assistant Physiotherapist | Samantha Malette
Saturday, Sept. 30
USA v. Wales | 9:30 a.m. ET
WXV2
All matches live on RugbyPass
Saturday, Oct. 14
v. Samoa | 8 a.m. ET
Friday, Oct. 20
v. Scotland | 8 a.m. ET
Saturday, Oct. 28
v. Italy | 11 a.m. ET
