USA RUGBY WOMEN’S EAGLES PREPARE FOR NATIONS CUP AT OLYMPIC TRAINING CENTER

from USA Rugby:

BOULDER, Colo. – USA Women’s National Team Head Coach, Pete Steinberg, has announced the player pool for a training camp at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista ahead of the 2011 Nations Cup. The athletes arrive on Wednesday June 22 and depart on Sunday June 26.

The Nations Cup, to be held from August 2-13 in at Appleby College in Oakville, Ontario, will see the Women’s Eagles will face England, Canada and South Africa in pool play with the aim of qualifying for the championship game to be played on August 13.

Steinberg has already identified 15 players for the Nations Cup squad but there are a handful of players attending the camp who will gain experience training at the highest level in an Olympic environment.

“This camp will primarily focus on preparing for England and Canada. We’ll only have one practice day before we play England, so we need to install our approach on attack and defense,” said Steinberg.

Steinberg also identified the set piece as an area of focus in the camp. Getting lineouts and scrums in a good place before the camp ends will give the USA a platform for attack and go-forward ball. Establishing the set piece is crucial to do beforehand, given the short preparation time before facing 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup runners-up, England in the Nations Cup opener.
Lineout expert and all-time caps leader for the USA, Luke Gross, is on the Women’s Eagles staff and will lend his expertise to the team.

This will mark Steinberg’s first National Team assembly as head coach since assuming that role earlier this year. He has been busy at work ever since, analyzing film from the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup, the Women’s Premier League and the January Women’s High Performance camp.

The 2011 College Championships and the Collegiate and Club All-Star Championships were used to scout players and identify talent.

The last time the Women’s National Team was assembled was last year when they claimed 5th place in the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup, defeating Canada in thrilling fashion 23-20.

USA WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM | 2011 NATIONS CUP CAMP| CHULA VISTA, CALIF. | JUNE 22 – JUNE 26

Forwards:
Stacy Baker (Keystone Rugby Club), Libby Berg (Minnesota Valkyries), Sharon Blaney (Beantown), Stacy Bridges (Westmoreland Highlander RFC), Jamie Burke (Beantown), Lisa Butts (Nor Cal Triple Threat RFC), Sarah Chobot (Minnesota Valkyries), Kate Daley (Chicago North Shore WRFC), Lauren Daly (At Large), Farrah Douglas (Washington Furies), Anne McClain (Atlanta Harlequins), Laura Miller (Washington Furies), Tina Nesberg (Stanford/ San Jose Seahawks), Jillion Potter (Glendale), Shaina Turley (San Diego Surfers), Kittery Wagner (Beantown) and Francine Bray (Austin Valkyries).

Backs:
Sadie Anderson (Penn State), Sylvia Braaten (Twin City Amazons), Rebecca Brafman (New York Rugby Club), Emilie Bydwell (Beantown), Amy Daniels (Beantown), Katie Dowty (Beantown), Victoria Folayan (Berkeley All-Blues), Devin Keller (Keystone), Lynelle Kugler (Twin City Amazons), Jennifer Lui (Chicago North Shore WRFC), Kaelene Lundstrum (Twin City Amazons), Kim Magrini (Keystone), Desiree Markovich (Minnesota Valkyries), Samantha Pankey (James River Women’s RFC) and Caroline White (Seattle RFC).

2011 WOMEN’S NATION CUP | OAKVILLE, ONTARIO (CANADA)
August 2, 2011: USA vs. England
August 5, 2011: USA vs. Canada
August 9, 2011: USA vs. South Africa
August 13, 2011: Nation Cup Finals (1st v. 2nd, 3rd v. 4th)