Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
The teams for Round 2 of the Women’s Rugby Super Series have been named, with the tournament continuing at Red Deer Rugby Club on Wednesday, July 1. All games will be streamed live at the link below:
http://www.livestream.com/rugbycanadaofficial
ENGLAND v NEW ZEALAND
16:00 local, 22:00 UTC
England have made wholesale changes to their side to face the Black Ferns, with nine new players and two positional changes from the team that ran out against the Eagles. Abbie Scott is the only survivor in the tight five, with Rochelle Clark, Vicky Fleetwood, and Justine Lucas the new front row and Tamara Taylor taking Rowena Burnfield’s place at lock.
Fleetwood wins her 50th cap at hooker, and Clark stretches her most-capped record to 102. Captain Sarah Hunter moves over to blindside flank to accomodate Alex Matthews at no8.
18-year-old Megan Jones is handed her test debut at flyhalf with Leanne Riley winning only her thrid cap at scrumhalf, but there is experience in the midfield with Amber Reed bumping in one spot to no12 and Emily Scarratt back in the no13 shirt.
Lydia Thompson replaces Kate Mason on the left wing, and Heather Fisher is added to the bench with Hannah Gallagher rotating out of the match day squad.
New Zealand have taken a different route, selecting the identical roster that defeated Canada in Calgary.
The two sides last met on England’s tour to New Zealand in 2013, with the Blacks Ferns coming out on top in all three matches by scores of 29-10, 14-9, and 29-8.
ENGLAND
1 Rochelle Clark 2 Vicky Fleetwood 3 Justine Lucas 4 Tamara Taylor 5 Abbie Scott 6 Sarah Hunter (capt.) 7 Marlie Packer 8 Alex Matthews 9 Leanne Riley 10 Megan Jones 11 Lydia Thompson 12 Amber Reed 13 Emily Scarratt 14 Kay Wilson 15 Sarah McKenna
16 Amy Cokayne 17 Vicky Cornborough 18 Laura Keates 19 Rowena Burnfield 20 Heather Fisher 21 Bianca Blackburn 22 Emily Scott 23 Ceri Large
NEW ZEALAND
1 Toka Natua 2 Fiao’o Fa’amausili (capt.) 3 Aleisha Nelson 4 Eloise Blackwell 5 Charmaine Smith 6 Charlene Halapua 7 Justine Lavea 8 Linda Itunu 9 Kendra Cocksedge 10 Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali 11 Renee Wickliffe 12 Chelsea Alley 13 Stacey Waaka 14 Honey Hireme 15 Selica Winiata
16 Teresa Te Tamaki 17 Aldora Itunu 18 Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate 19 Angie Sisifa 20 Lesley Ketu 21 Emma Jensen 22 Kiritapu Demant 23 Janna Vaughan
CANADA v USA
18:30 local, 00:30 UTC
Head coach Francois Ratier has made four changes to Canada’s starting lineup to face the USA. Jacey Murphy moves to the bench to make room for Cindy Nellas in the only change to the pack, while Lori Josephson makes her test debut at scrumhalf in place of Chelsea Guthrie.
Lisa Gauthier and Katie McNally will start on the wing, with uncapped trio Tiffany Picketts, Camille Provençal-Aubé and Gillian Allen among the reserves.
The Eagles have also changed four in the run-on side. Catie Benson starts at loosehead prop, with Jane Paar taking over the captaincy from absent Sarah Chobot in only her second cap. Molly Kinsella switches jerseys with Alycia Washington, and Joanna Kitlinski makes her test debut at no6.
Kimber Rozier moves out to no12 with Lauren Rhode handed a first start at flyhalf in the only change to the backs. Uncapped Tiffany Faaee comes in as a reserve prop, and sevens international Bianca Dalal is set to make her XVs debut from the bench.
Canada played host to the Eagles last April in a two game series, with Canada winning both matches by scores of 51-7 and 14-10.
CANADA
1 Laura Russell (capt.) 2 Mary-Jane Kirby 3 Olivia DeMerchant 4 Tyson Beukeboom 5 Maria Samson 6 Barbara Mervin 7 Latoya Blackwood 8 Cindy Nelles 9 Lori Josephson 10 Alex Tessier 11 Lisa Gauthier 12 Andrea Burk 13 Amanda Thornborough 14 Katie McNally 15 Julianne Zussman
16 Julia Folk 17 Tiffany Picketts 18 DaLeaka Menin 19 Camille Provençal-Aubé 20 Jacey Murphy 21 Gillian Allen 22 Jess Neilson 23 Natasha Smith
USA
1 Catie Benson 2 Katy Augustyn 3 Hope Rogers 4 Stacey Bridges 5 Molly Kinsella 6 Joanna Kitlinski 7 Elizabeth Cairns 8 Jordan Gray 9 Dewen Owsiany 10 Lauren Rhode 11 Cheta Emba 12 Kimber Rozier 13 Jane Paar (capt.) 14 Kelsi Stockert 15 Jessica Wooden
16 Sam Pankey 17 Baylee Annis 18 Tiffany Faaee 19 Alycia Washington 20 Sara Parsons 21 Jennifer Lui 22 Nicole Heavirland 23 Bianca Dalal
