USA head into this weekend’s crunch Rugby World Cup Pool A fixture against Australia with three Loughborough Lightning players in their matchday squad.
The Eagles kicked off their campaign with a 69-7 loss to England and need a victory over the Wallaroos at York Community Stadium on Saturday 28 August (kick-off: 7.30pm) to keep their hopes of progressing to the knock-out stages alive.
Front-row forwards Kathryn Treder and Keia Mae Sagapolu keep their places in the starting line-up, while Tahlia Brody is selected among the replacements.
USA Head Coach Head Coach Sione Fukofuka, said: “The players have been dialled in since we started our preparation this week as we know we are in knockouts. The pressure we face this week is a privilege and we are fortunate to know that we hold our destiny in our own hands this week.
“We reviewed the English game in detail and identified the positives that we want to replicate and the areas that we felt we fell short of our own standards and let England put us under pressure.”
USA vs AUSTRALIA
Women’s Rugby World Cup, Pool A
Saturday 30 August
York Community Stadium
Kick-off: 7.30pm BST
15 Lotte Sharp (Saracens)
14 Cheta Emba (Boston Banshees)
13 Ilona Maher (USA Sevens)
12 Emily Henrich (Leicester Tigers/Boston Banshees)
11 Erica Coulibaly (Denver Onyx)
10 McKenzie Hawkins (Denver Onyx)
9 Cassidy Bargell (Boston Banshees)
1 Hope Rogers (Exeter Chiefs)
2 Kathryn Treder (Loughborough Lightning/Bay Area Breakers)
3 Keia Mae Sagapolu (Loughborough Lightning)
4 Hallie Taufoou (Denver Onyx)
5 Erica Jarrell-Searcy (Sale Sharks)
6 Freda Tafuna (Lindenwood University)
7 Kate Zackary (C) (Trailfinders)
8 Rachel Johnson (Exeter Chiefs/Denver Onyx)
Replacements:
16 Paige Stathopoulos (Trailfinders/Boston Banshees)
17 Alivia Leatherman (Trailfinders/Twin Cities Gemini)
18 Charli Jacoby (Exeter Chiefs/Queensland Reds)
19 Rachel Ehrecke (Denver Onyx)
20 Tahlia Brody (Loughborough Lightning)
21 Olivia Ortiz (Sale Sharks)
22 Gabby Cantorna (Exeter Chiefs)
23 Sariah Ibarra (USA Sevens)
Lightning’s Women’s Rugby World Cup stars will be back at Loughborough in time for the start of the 2025/26 Premiership Women’s Rugby campaign. Season Tickets are still available HERE, priced* from just £65 (adult) and £30 juniors.
*Season Ticket prices are subject to a booking fee of £2.50 per Season Ticket, plus £10 admin fee for Direct Debit.
