Women’s Eagles training squad named ahead of World Cup

Sione Fukofuka has named an extended Women’s Eagles squad of 40 to prepare for next month’s World Cup. The group have convened at Mount St. Mary’s University for a week-long training camp, which will culminate in a Stars vs Stripes trial match. A final selection of 32 that will travel to England will be unveiled in a live stream on July 17th.

Much of the squad has overseas experience though the majority recently took part in the inaugural domestic Women’s Elite Rugby season. There are 11 players included from the Legacy Cup-winning Denver Onyx. with 7 members of the Bay Area Breakers selected and 6 from the Boston Banshees.

Kate Zackary is set to lead the Eagles for a second straight World Cup. The Ealing Trailfinders star is one of 17 included who took part three years ago. Warm-up tests against Fiji in DC on July 19 and Canada in Ottawa on August 1 have been arranged before the tournament opener against England at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on August 22.

PROP
Catie Benson (Boston Banshees)
Mikaela Hall (Denver Onyx)
Charli Jacoby (Queensland Reds, AU)
Maya Learned (Denver Onyx)
Alivia Leatherman (Twin Cities Gemini)
Hope Rogers (Exeter Chiefs, UK)
Keia Mae Sagapolu (ACT Brumbies, AU)

HOOKER
Hope Cooper (Bay Area Breakers)
Jett Hayward (Bay Area Breakers)
Paige Stathopoulos (Boston Banshees)
Kathryn Treder (Bay Area Breakers)

SECOND ROW
Rachel Ehrecke (Denver Onyx)
Emerson Allen (Twin Cities Gemini)
Erica Jarrell (Sale Sharks, UK)
Hallie Taufo’ou (Denver Onyx)

BACK ROW
Kapoina Bailey (Denver Onyx)
Tahlia Brody (Denver Onyx)
Rachel Johnson (Denver Onyx)
Sophia Lamphier (Bay Area Breakers)
Georgie Perris-Redding (Sale Sharks, UK)
Freda Tafuna (Lindenwood University)
Kate Zackary (Ealing Trailfinders, UK)

SCRUMHALF
Cassidy Bargell (Boston Banshees)
Olivia Ortiz (Sale Sharks, UK)
Sophie Pyrz (Cheltenham Tigers, UK)
Taina Tukuafu (Bay Area Breakers)

FLYHALF
Kristin Bitter (Denver Onyx)
McKenzie Hawkins (Denver Onyx)
Nicole Heavirland (Boston Banshees)

MIDFIELD
Gabby Cantorna (Exeter Chiefs, UK)
Joanne Fa’avesi (Denver Onyx)
Emily Henrich (Boston Banshees)
Alev Kelter (Bay Area Breakers)
Ilona Maher (Bristol Bears, UK)

OUTSIDE BACKS
Erica Coulibaly (Denver Onyx)
Cheta Emba (Boston Banshees)
Tess Feury (New York Exiles)
Sariah Ibarra (USA Sevens)
Bulou Mataitoga (Bay Area Breakers)
Lotte Sharp (Saracens, UK)