The USA Women’s 7s Team has named its 12-player squad for the final stop on the 2023 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in Toulouse, France (May 12-14). The team was last active in Hong Kong, where the Eagles guaranteed a top-four finish in the series standings and thus berth to the 2024 Olympics. [Lead photo: Alex Ho @hoiho_photo]
“Following mixed emotions in Hong Kong, the elation of qualifying early paired with the disappointment of our first quarterfinal exit of the season, we have had one of our best and most competitive training blocks of the season,” USA Women’s 7s team head coach Emilie Bydwell told USA Rugby. “While the goal all year has been top four, once that was achieved we have needed to zero in on things even more to ensure that over the next 14 months we have done the work required to be on the podium.”
Lauren Doyle and Naya Tapper co-captain the squad, and they’re joined by eight teammates who also competed in Hong Kong. Nicole Heavirland and Ariana Ramsey, who will feature in this weekend’s CRAA Premier 7s Championship for Dartmouth College, will not make the transatlantic trip. Ilona Maher is still rehabbing a broken ankle as well. The two vacancies are filled by Sammy Sullivan, who is back after fulfilling U.S. Army duties, and Summer Harris-Jones, who debuted for the USA 15s team during the Pacific Four Series in late March-early April in Spain.
“She had her first [7s] cap over a year ago in Dubai and she had been working hard in the residency to achieve this goal,” Bydwell said. “I want to thank [USA Women’s National Team interim head coach] Rich Ashfield and the 15s program, because through our conversations, Summer was able to leave the environment and get international experience in Spain this year and then come back and has really kicked on since that experience.
“This was the most difficult selection of the year,” the coach continued. “Our training group as a whole has progressed considerably over the last year and we are now in a place where playing well doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be selected, because so many people are playing well and we have a good range of strengths and talent. This inner competition, while challenging, is exactly what we need to enter next year, because at the end of the day it will enable us to breed the best possible American Women’s team for the Paris Olympic Games.”
The USA will compete in Pool A against Canada, New Zealand and Poland. The first two rounds occur on Friday, May 12. The third pool play round and opening knockouts are Saturday, and placing matches are Sunday. Games will live-stream on Peacock TV.
USA Women’s 7s | HSBC Toulouse Sevens
| Name | Position | HSBC Tournaments |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cheta Emba (she/her) | Prop/Hooker | 28 |
| 3. Kayla Canett | Flyhalf/Scrumhalf | 20 |
| 5. Alex “Spiff” Sedrick | Center | 11 |
| 6. Alena Olsen | Scrumhalf | 15 |
| 7. Naya Tapper (C) | Wing/Prop | 32 |
| 10. Steph Rovetti | Flyhalf/Wing | 9 |
| 11. Kristen Thomas | Hooker/Prop | 38 |
| 12. Kristi Kirshe (she/her) | Prop/Hooker | 19 |
| 15. Alev Kelter | Prop/Fly Half | 38 |
| 22. Sammy Sullivan | Prop/Wing | 5 |
| 23. Lauren Doyle (C) | Fly Half | 38 |
| 27. Summer Harris-Jones | Prop | 2 |
USA Women’s Sevens Traveling Staff
Head Coach | Emilie Bydwell (she/her)
Assistant Coach | Zack Test
Athletic Trainer | Nicole Titmas (she/her)
Strength & Conditioning | Trey Ford
USA Women’s Sevens Toulouse Schedule
Friday, May 12 (Times Eastern)
4:44 a.m. ET vs. Canada
10:36 a.m. vs. New Zealand
Saturday, May 13
3:59 a.m. vs. Poland
8:42 a.m. Knockouts being
Sunday, May 14
Knockouts continue