It’s go time! The Women’s Premier League (WPL) is down to its final three rugby 15s games, with Legacy Cup semifinals on Saturday, Sept. 7 and then the championship on Sept. 14. The semifinal rosters have loaded into Xplorer, and while there’s likely some room for movement before game day, they offer insight into who is traveling to Madison, Wis.

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GRAY WOLVES vs. NEW YORK

New York and the Colorado Gray Wolves will kick off the Legacy Cup at 1 p.m. CT (watch live, for free), and they represent the #2 and #3 seeds, respectively. In the regular season, the teams split their series, both winning at home. So it’ll be interesting to see who thrives on the road now that both are playing in new environments.

 

The Gray Wolves are the reigning national champion and wanted to carry that momentum into 2024. And 14 of the 23 players who helped Colorado to the 2023 title are back. The pack is pretty familiar relative to 2023 with a couple of changes. Remember that USA duties took a handful of players out of the playoffs last year, but that is not the case in 2024. And that means captain Rachel Ehrecke can represent her team in the post-season. She’s massive, and the flanker is the emblem of hard work.

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Similarly, the back line is able to field its Eagle halfbacks Carly Waters and McKenzie Hawkins. They have loads of experience and will direct the game from the middle of the pitch. On the opposite end of the experience spectrum, high schooler Tahna Wilfley and University of Iowa star Erica Coulibaly get the starts at either wing. Head coach Jamie Burke praised both of the WPL newcomers for their poise and impact this season. The bench is rich with game changers, too, and includes Eagles Saher Hamdan and Maya Learned alongside several championship returners.

So maybe there’s some pressure for Colorado to repeat, but the team knows how to get it done.

New York also has championship history, having won the first-two WPL titles and then again in 2017. New York is hungry for another one, and after a confidence-boosting win against top-seeded Berkeley, is playing like a team with all the belief.

 

New York is the only semifinalist with a first-season head coach in Diego Maquieira, so 2024 has been a learning process. But the coach lauded the squad for really buying in and putting in the work, and is enjoying the successes that have evolved.

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The travel squad of 25 is also very familiar. Tiara A’au is the Eagle in the pack and moves into a starter role after some games as a devastating impact player. Also a huge fan of Caoimhe O’Sullivan Roche, the hooker, who is highly involved and mobile around the pitch. No. 8 Adriana Castillo, scrumhalf Maggie Ribardo and stalwart flyhalf Nikki Richardson will work the middle of the pitch, and deploy a back line with plenty of pace. Listen for Jetta Owens in the back field. The fullback is an X factor and plays with a lot of adventure.

Also interesting, there are a couple of crossover players in this match. New York inside center Dee Nash was part of the Gray Wolves’ championship team last year. And Shamira Robles was a long-time New York player who’s been named to Colorado’s extended roster. The Gray Wolves also picked up Beantown’s Rachael Harkavy this year.

BERKELEY vs. LIFE WEST

The Battle of the Bay has transplanted to Wisconsin, and the intrigue here is pretty obvious. These are two clubs that know each other well and have a lot of history, so what does this local rivalry look like when the stakes are at their peak?

Berkeley head coach Hannah Stolba indicated that the semifinal roster would feature the stalwarts, and the starting 15 supports that statement. The five team-leadership members are spread throughout the match-day 23 — prop Monica Marquez, flanker Sierra Watkins, scrumhalf Shelby Lin, outside center Jade McGrath and back-three Michelle Hong in the reserves. The game-day captain rotates, but previous captains like hooker Hope Cooper, flanker Tonya Wessman and fullback Olivia Bernadel-Huey are all present on the starting line.

 

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“We have a little bit of a chip on our shoulder,” McGrath said of the loss to New York in the penultimate round of the regular season.

That loss reminded Berkeley that it needs to set an aggressive tone right from the opening whistle, and that should be an achievable goal given the deep familiarity and connectivity in this lineup. Watch for multiple kicking threats, as the All Blues aren’t afraid to put their trust in their flyers, who are all over the pitch. In terms of favorites, Hope Cooper tops the list. The hooker is so involved around the pitch and always off the hip for an offload.

There are no surprises in Life West’s starting 15 either, but for the Gladiatrix, their success will hinge on connection. Co-captains Roxelle Thomas (read more) and Alia Ah Far (read more) fixated on that goal, knowing that when the team is flowing and firing, a truly fun game follows. The problem is that Life West hasn’t played a regulation match since July 20, so might be an adjustment period on Saturday.

 

With that said, Life West is bringing fire power to Wisconsin. There are current and former Eagles in Emerson Allen, Sophie Pyrz, Nana Fa’avesi, Mata Hingano, Autumn Czaplicki, Amanda Berta and Leti Hingano all in the starting 15. Molly Shamieh in the front row is a favorite, and Mele Taumoefolau has been punching up the lineup since Life West’s DII national championship days (2016).

While attention will very much be focused on this showdown, one can’t help but project into the near future, when many of these players will likely wear the same kit for the Bay Area-based pro team in spring 2025.