Women’s Eagles announce roster for Women’s Rugby Super Series 2019

28 players named with seven injury reserves and up to nine new caps awarded

Tournament streamed LIVE on florugby.com

Schedule and tickets available at usarugby.org/superseries2019

SAN DIEGO, CA. – USA Head Coach Rob Cain has named his full squad for the Women’s Rugby Super Series 2019 taking place June 28 to July 14 in San Diego, CA, broadcast LIVE on FloRugby.com.

A total of 28 players have been named with another seven injury reserves and the opportunity for up to nine new caps to be awarded.

Five players have been selected from the USA Women’s Sevens Residency program including Alev Kelter, Kris Thomas, Hope Rogers, Eti Haungatau and Ashlee Byrge.

Rogers, Haungatau and Byrge joined the Women’s Eagles during their historic matchup with Barbarians F.C. in April, where Haungatau scored two impressive tries and made several crucial runs in a thrilling contest. Kelter and Thomas last suited up with the 15s side for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017.

Dartmouth College’s Emily Henrich will also return to the fold after winning the 2019 MA Sorenson Award, presented to the top college player in women’s rugby. Henrich last competed during the November Internationals 2018 where she earned her first cap against New Zealand.

Head Coach Rob Cain said: “Those selected, and many others in the player pool who were so unfortunate to miss out, have all worked tirelessly with the sole aim of improving every day we have together. The Super Series is the perfect platform for our squad to showcase this and continue to express themselves as they keep exploring and developing our USA brand of rugby.

“We are under no illusions how tough the competition will be, but we also know how invaluable this experience is for us as a team. Having nine possible debutants and only five players in the 28 squad in double figures for caps shows how important these games are for their development as individuals and collectively as a program.

“We knew where we were in 2018 and the first part of 2019 has allowed us to build upon this. This new chapter in the Women’s Eagles story is only ten months old and we have another 26-27 months of exciting adventures ahead as we look to Rugby World Cup New Zealand in 2021.”

The Women’s Eagles will assemble on June 22 in San Diego, CA for the two-week Women’s Rugby Super Series featuring No. 1 New Zealand, No. 2 England, No. 3 Canada and No. 4 France. The first four rounds will be hosted at the U.S. Olympic Training Site in Chula Vista with the final round taking place at University of San Diego’s Torero Stadium. Two matches will be played per round.

Ticket packages are available at usarugby.org/superseries2019 with prices starting at only $69 for all 10 matchups. Single-day tickets are also available starting at only $19. Games will be broadcast LIVE on Florugby.com in the U.S.

U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM 15s FULL SQUAD

PLAYER NAME POSITION CLUB CAPS Katy Augustyn Hooker Berkeley All Blues 33 Bui Baravilala Center San Diego Surfers 6 Catie Benson Prop Life West Gladiatrix 17 Amy Naber-Bonté Center Life West Gladiatrix 1 Stacey Bridges Second row Beantown Rugby 36 Ashlee Byrge Scrumhalf USA Women’s Sevens Residency 0 Elizabeth Cairns Back row Life West Gladiatrix 8 Gabriella Cantorna Flyhalf Glendale Merlins 3 Jennine Duncan Back Three Seattle Saracens 2 Fane “Eti” Haungatau Center USA Women’s Sevens Residency 0 Emily Henrich Center Dartmouth College 2 Katana Howard Flyhalf Twin City Amazons 0 Charli Jacoby Prop Chicago North Shore 0 Nick James Prop Houston Athletic 6 Rachel Johnson Back Row Oregon Rugby Sports Union 3 Alev Kelter Center USA Women’s Sevens Residency 9 Joanna Kitlinski Hooker Glendale Merlins 8 Bulou Mataitoga Fullback Berkeley All Blues 0 Olivia Ortiz Scrumhalf Davenport University 0 Neariah “Nene” Persinger Wing Unattached 0 Hope Rogers Hooker/Prop USA Women’s Sevens Residency 25 Asinate Serevi Back Row/ Second Row Scion Rugby 2 Kristine Sommer Flanker Seattle Saracens

Harlequins (ENG) 7 Nicole Strasko Second Row / Back Row Life West Gladiatrix 3 Joyce Taufa Back Row Lindenwood University 3 Kris Thomas Wing USA Women’s Sevens Residency 7 Alycia Washington Second Row New York Rugby 17 Kate Zackary (C) Back Row San Diego Surfers 9

INJURY RESERVES

PLAYER NAME POSITION CLUB CAPS Tess Feury Wing Morris 6 Megan Foster Fullback San Diego Surfers 5 Sam Luther Second row Glendale Merlins 0 Christiane Pheil Back row Atlanta Harlequins 8 Shamira Robles Back Three New York Rugby 0 Kimber Rozier Center Beantown 31 Carly Waters Halfback New York Rugby 2

U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM STAFF

General Manager | Emilie Bydwell

Head Coach | Rob Cain

Assistant Coach | Jamie Burke

Assistant Coach | Kate Daley

Assistant Coach Rich Ashfield

Coach/Team Manager | Jenny Lui

Head Strength & Conditioning Coach | Ian Jones

Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach | Michaela Staniford

Head Performance Analyst | Dave Gardner

Team Doctor | Terrence Cronin

Athletic Trainer | Katherine Henry

Athletic Trainer | Danielle Allen

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