Pacific Four – USA vs Australia – ARN Guide

The Pacific Four resumes in Ottawa on Saturday in the first of two double-headers to be hosted by Canada. Opening the day at TD Place Stadium will be the USA and Australia, the two lowest-ranked sides in the round-robin competition.

Stakes are high for both sides given the team who finishes at the bottom of the table will fall into the second tier of the new WXV tournament. The top three finishers will compete against the best teams in the world later this year.

Both teams arrive having lost their Pacific Four openers in decisive fashion. The Eagles were well-beaten by Canada in Madrid this past April, while the Wallaroos were shut out by the New Zealand Black Ferns just over a week ago at Brisbane.

Interim Eagles coach Rich Ashfield has named a starting side that shows numerous changes from the team that competed at the World Cup. The first surprise is the selection of captain Kate Zackary at center instead of on the flank. While Zackary has played in the midfield for her club side Exeter, this is her first run in the backs at test level.

A pair of Lindenwood University standouts jump straight from the u23 side into the starting lineup. Freda Tafuna is named on the flank with Taina Tukuafu running out at scrumhalf. Mona Tupou, only just called into the squad, could make her debut as a replacement after also featuring for the u23s against Brazil.

Wallaroos coach Jay Tregonning has a more experienced lineup with no new caps. Second row Michaela Leonard assumes the captaincy with regular skipper Piper Duck out injured, and there are notable returns to the squad for flanker Emily Chancellor and flyhalf Arabella McKenzie.

Conditions should not be a factor with sunshine on the forecast. The USA were narrow winners when the two sides last met a year ago, but Australia are two spots higher on the World Rankings at 5th overall. Expect another close contest with the Wallaroos slight betting favorites.

Kickoff is set for 4pm local time, 1pm Pacific. FloRugby will broadcast in the USA, Stan Sport in Australia, TSN Digital in Canada, and the World Rugby website for those located elsewhere.

 

USA
1 Catie Benson, 2 Kathryn Treder, 3 Mae Sagapolu, 4 Evi Ashenbrucker, 5 Hallie Taufo’ou, 6 Freda Tafuna, 7 Georgie Perris-Redding, 8 Rachel Johnson, 9 Taina Tukuafu, 10 McKenzie Hawkins, 11 Lotte Clapp, 12 Eti Haungatau, 13 Kate Zackary (capt.), 14 Jennine Detiveaux, 15 Tess Feury

Replacements: 16 Jett Hayward, 17 Charli Jacoby, 18 Mona Tupou, 19 Rachel Ehrecke, 20 Tahlia Brody, 21 Carly Waters, 22 Joanne Fa’avesi, 23 Meya Bizer

AUSTRALIA
1 Bree-Anna Cheatham, 2 Adiana Talakai, 3 Eva Karpani, 4 Michaela Leonard (capt.), 5 Kaitlan Leaney, 6 Ashley Marsters, 7 Emily Chancellor, 8 Grace Hamilton, 9 Layne Morgan, 10 Arabella McKenzie, 11 Ivania Wong, 12 Cecilia Smith, 13 Georgina Friedrichs, 14 Maya Stewart, 15 Lori Cramer

Replacements: 16 Tania Naden, 17 Emily Robinson, 18 Bridie O’Gorman, 19 Sera Naiqama, 20 Tabua Tuinakauvadra, 21 Jasmin Huriwai, 22 Trilleen Pomare, 23 Alana Elisaia

Date: Saturday, July 8
Venue: TD Place Stadium, Ottawa
Kickoff: 16:00 local (13:00 Pacific)
Broadcasts: FloRugby, Stan Sport, TSN Digital, World Rugby

Referee: Julianne Zussman (Canada)
Assistants: Shanda Assmus (Canada) & Kristine Lovatt (Canada)
TMO: Andrew Hosie (Canada)

HISTORICAL RESULTS
2022-06-11 – Australia 14, USA 16 (Auckland)
2014-08-13 – Australia 20, USA 23 (Marcoussis)
2006-09-12 – USA 29, Australia 12 (St. Albert)
2006-09-08 – Australia 6, USA 10 (Edmonton)
2002-05-21 – Australia 17, USA 5 (Barcelona)
1997-08-02 – Australia 24, USA 28 (Brisbane)