Graphic: England RFU
England begins its fall test series against the USA, and the teams will meet at London’s Allianz Park on Friday, Nov. 9. Kickoff is at 7:45 p.m. local (2:45 p.m. Eastern), and FloRugby will live-stream the match.
RELATED: USA WNT Head Coach Rob Cain: We Know Where We Are Now
These teams last met at the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup, and the Roses won that game 47-26. England has returned six players from that August test squad, while the USA has returned eight, mostly in the forwards.
England head coach Simon Middleton has named four uncapped players to the starting XV and two more in the reserves. Another three starters have three caps or fewer. Countering that young talent is flyhalf Katy Daley-Mclean, who will earn a 100th cap at 32 years old. Reserve Sarah Hunter has 105 caps and together they have more international appearances than the entire USA team that played New Zealand last weekend.
Photo: Pepper Wareagle | All World Photo
“The USA are match ready from their game against the Black Ferns and will be hardened and wiser for last weekend. Like them, we are ready and expect a tough game on Friday,” Middleton told the RFU.
On Nov. 13, England’s academy team will play USA A, and the senior side will meet Canada and Ireland to round out the November internationals. And then January 2019, the RFU will award 28 full-time professional contracts to its 15s program. New Zealand also awarded 30 full-time contracts to its 15s players (read more).
The USA has yet to release its game-day roster but has noted a couple of changes since the squad’s original selection (see more). Finau Tamaivena earned her first cap when injured Misha Green could not compete in Chicago, and Glendale’s Joanna Kitlinski has replaced an injured Eti Haungatau. There are also two players – Eagle Kristine Sommer (Harlequins) and Frankie Sands (Northumbria / Darlington) – currently playing in England who will presumably join the squad.
(l-r) Megan Rom, Finau Tamaivena & Mckenna Strong earned their first caps vs. New Zealand.
Photo: Pepper Wareagle / All World Photo
Read England RFU’s full article here.
ENGLAND v USA
1. Ellena Perry (Saracens) *2. Lark Davies (Worcester, 10 caps)3. Shaunagh Brown (Harlequins, 2)4. Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 6)5. Abbie Scott (Harlequins, 29) (c)6. Joanna Brown (Loughborough, 1)7. Vicky Fleetwood (Saracens, 65)8. Sarah Beckett (Firwood Waterloo) *
9. Leanne Riley (Harlequins, 21)
10. Katy Daley-Mclean (Loughborough, 99)11. Kelly Smith (Gloucester-Hartpury, 2)
12. Tatyana Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury) *13. Carys Williams (Loughborough) *
14. Lydia Thompson (Worcester, 38)
15. Sarah McKenna (Saracens, 14)16. Heather Kerr (Darlington, 13)17. Vickii Cornborough (Harlequins, 39)18. Hannah Botterman (Saracens, 2)19. Catherine O’Donnell (Loughborough, 4)20. Sarah Hunter (Loughborough, 105)21. Claudia Macdonald (Wasps) *22. Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 5)23. Lucy Attwood (Bristol) *
* uncapped