Head coach Pete Steinberg has elected to take a younger team with only 19 players on the roster having been on the last November's European tour. Many of the players were selected through the Top 60 camp held earlier this year and many of the players also come out of the Junior All-American ranks. Several players also come from the college ranks, including Anne Peterson and Megan Bonny from Washington State. Veteran players returning to the team include Sadie Anderson, Jen Lui, Ryan Carlyle, and Jamie Burke.
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Noticably absent from the team are the bulk of the U.S.A. 7's team, who are busy preparing for the 7's World Cup later this month. The idea had always been to make those players available for 15's duty but with a long summer they were more need for the Nations Cup. That said, Anderson and Carlyle, who have both been with the 7's team, are on the roster.
The U.S. will face a French team that beat them twice last year, 13-0 in Orleans and then 27-3 in Paris in front of a large television audience. Many of the French players are coming off their domestic club season and will be ready to go. According to an analysis of the French team by Scrumqueens, most of the French team will be first choice players. Even the players that are joining the team have plenty of experience and only two players don't have a cap to their name.
France also come in to the match with a fairly decent record in their last few matches. After beating the U.S. in November they then lost to Italy and Ireland in the Women's Six Nations before picking up a marquee win over England and big wins over Wales and Scotland.
The U.S. will certainly face a difficult task but playing on home soil, especially after the French players had to endure a long flight, the time could be right for an upset. With younger players on the team hopefully they will be hungry to prove that they should remain a part of the team and put forth a very strong effort.
The match begins at 5:00 p.m. pt. Tickets can be purchased at the match for $5 and people under 18 years old get in free. The match will also be streamed live on USARugby.org.
U.S. Starting Lineup: Sarah Chobot, Kittery Wagner, Jamie Burke, Sarah Walsh, Molly Kinsella, Stacey Bridges, Lynelle Kugler, Shaina Turley (C), Jossy Tseng, Hannah Stolba, Ryan Carlyle, Megan Bonny, Meya Bizer, Erica Cavanaugh, Sadie Anderson
U.S. Bench: Katy Augustyn, Jessica Davis, Naima Reddick, Kristen Zdanczewicz, Kate Daley, Carrie White, Anne Peterson, Amanda Street
French Travelling Squad: Agricole (Rennes), André (Saint-Orens), Arricastre (Lons), Bailon (Montpellier), Chobet (Lons), Corson (Rennes), Diallo (Bobigny), Esteve (Lille MRCV), Ezanno (Rennes), Fourcade (Bordeaux), Godiveau (Rennes), Grand (Lons), Héguy (Bayonne), Koïta (Bordeaux), Métier (Bobigny), Mignot (Montpellier), N'Diaye (Montpellier), Parra (Montpellier), Pin (La Valette), Portaries (Montpellier), Rabier (Caen), Rivoalen (Lille), Rousseau (Perpignan), Sainlo (Bobigny), Trémoulière (Romagnat), Yahé (Perpignan).