USA Rugby Women’s National Team (WNT) Head Coach Rob Cain has named the 23-player roster to face Canada on Saturday, Oct. 22 (U.S. time zones). The match marks round three of pool play at the Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand, and the Eagles will face their North American rivals at 10:15 p.m. ET and live-streamed on Peacock. The game will be re-aired on CNBC at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 23.
The USA is currently 1-1 in Pool B, opening with a 22-12 loss to Italy then following with a 30-17 win against Japan.
“The team is excited with the results of the Japan match as it was huge to get a win and some points for our pool,” USA hooker and try-scorer Jojo Kitlinski shared. “We had some flashes of great moments that allowed us to show what we are capable of but going into Canada we will need to be more disciplined and clinical in attack and defense.”
Canada is 2-0 and guaranteed a quarterfinals berth, as head-to-head is the first tiebreaker in the standings (not point differential). But there is everything to play before, because teams want the best finish possible when being reseeded for the Round of 8. See Canada’s game-day 23 for the Eagles.
“Same objective,” Cain said after the Japan match and looking toward Canada. “We want to get a win and then we control our own destiny. We’ve already broken them down, we know what they do, we know what they don’t do. They know what we do, they know what we can’t do. We showed a few more things [against Japan], we’ll show a few new things next week but you’ll see a much more relaxed team because we’re starting to build a bit of belief. This team with a bit of belief is very dangerous.”
Cain continues to shuffle the roster. There are seven players who have started in the same position for all three games (provided nothing changes before Canada): prop Hope Rogers, hooker Kitlinski, flanker Rachel Johnson, No. 8 Kate Zackary, flyhalf Gabby Cantorna, outside center Eti Haungatau and wing Jennine Detiveaux. Alev Kelter has also started in all three matches but began the tournament at fullback before moving up to inside center. Meya Bizer took over the #15 jersey against Japan, and now Tess Feury is in the back field against Canada. Also of note, scrumhalf Bridget Kahele has been named to the reserves for the first time this tournament.
“Canada have had a really great tournament,” Zackary said. “It’s been a little bit since we’ve seen them now … and I think both teams are going to be really different. Canada or not Canada, it doesn’t really matter. A win is what we need and a win is what we’re going to after, it doesn’t matter who gets in the way.”
If the USA win, then the North Americans will finish 2-1. Italy faces Japan on the other side pool, and their game precedes the Eagles’ game at 4:45 p.m. ET. If Italy win, then that’s three teams at 2-1.
USA WOMEN’S EAGLES | USA vs CANADA | RUGBY WORLD CUP 2021
| NAME | HOMETOWN | CLUB | CAPS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hope Rogers | Chambersburg, PA | Exeter Chiefs | 39 |
| 2. Joanna Kitlinski | Denver, CO | Sale Sharks | 21 |
| 3. Nick James | Dublin, TX | Sale Sharks | 23 |
| 4. Kristine Sommer | Seattle, WA | Seattle Rugby Club | 23 |
| 5. Evelyn Ashenbrucker | Southern Humboldt County, CA | San Diego Surfers | 5 |
| 6. Kathryn Johnson | Minneapolis, MN | Twin Cities Amazons | 5 |
| 7. Rachel Johnson | Portland, OR | Exeter Chiefs | 16 |
| 8. Kate Zackary (C) | Wichita, KS | Exeter Chiefs | 25 |
| 9. Carly Waters | Downingtown, PA | Sale Sharks | 14 |
| 10. Gabby Cantorna | State College, PA | Exeter Chiefs | 16 |
| 11. Lotte Clapp | Welwyn Garden, ENG | Saracens | 6 |
| 12. Alev Kelter | Eagle River, AK | Saracens | 21 |
| 13. Eti Haungatau | Sacramento, CA | Lindenwood University | 6 |
| 14. Jennine Detiveaux | Jonesborough, TN | Exeter Chiefs | 13 |
| 15. Tess Feury | Denville, NJ | Wasps | 13 |
| 16. Kathryn Treder | Anchorage, AK | Beantown RFC | 7 |
| 17. Catie Benson | Buffalo, NY | Sale Sharks | 30 |
| 18. Charli Jacoby | Chicago, IL | Exeter Chiefs | 16 |
| 19. Jenny Kronish | New York, NY | Harlequins (ENG) | 6 |
| 20. Elizabeth Cairns | Downingtown, PA | Life West Gladiatrix | 20 |
| 21. Bridget Kahele | Aldie, VA | Beantown RFC | 3 |
| 22. Katana Howard | Hopkins, MN | Sale Sharks | 13 |
| 23. Meya Bizer | Woodlands, TX | Beantown RFC | 24 |
USA WOMEN’S EAGLES STAFF
Head Coach | Rob Cain
Assistant Coach | Jamie Burke
Assistant Coach | Martin Haag
Assistant Coach | Kate Daley
Head Strength & Conditioning | Sylvia Braaten
Head Athletic Trainer | Hilary Stepansky
Assistant Athletic Trainer | Janie Kluempers
Team Doctor | Dr Leigh Romero
Team Masseuse | Cheniek Den Heyer
Lead Analyst | Callum Howells
Team Media Manager | Taylor Dean
Mental Performance | Tracy Carrington
Team Manager | Annemarie Farrell
Team Manager | Steve Downie
Remote Support | Jenny Lui & Rich Ashfield
USA WOMEN’S EAGLES SCHEDULE & RESULTS
USA vs ITALY | 10-22 (L)
USA vs JAPAN | 30-17 (W)
USA vs CANADA
Saturday, Oct 22 10:15 PM ET
Waitakere Stadium, Auckland, NZL
Watch LIVE on Peacock with a delayed airing on CNBC (Sun, Oct 23, 11:30 AM ET)