Welsh Rugby Hosts First-Ever Women’s U20s Transatlantic Quad Series

The Welsh Rugby Union is set to host the inaugural Women’s U20s Transatlantic Quad Series this July in Cardiff. This historic event will bring together U20 teams from Wales, Canada, England, and the USA for two weeks of competitive rugby, showcasing the best young talent from these four nations. The series promises to be an exciting display of emerging rugby stars and a significant step in promoting women’s rugby on an international stage.

Liza Burgess, Wales U20s Head Coach, expressed her enthusiasm for the tournament, stating, “We look forward to hosting Canada and the USA from across the Atlantic and, of course, our near neighbours England for what will be an exciting tournament to showcase the exciting young talent all four nations have in the women’s game. England, Canada, and USA are the benchmark teams in our game, and we know these Test matches will be a real marker of where we are as a squad.”

Reflecting on previous matches, Burgess added, “We played the USA and Canada last summer and that proved to be a real stepping stone for players like Nel Metcalfe, Sian Jones, Gwennan Hopkins, and Molly Reardon, who all went on to make their Wales debuts in the recent Six Nations campaign.”

LJ Lewis, England U20 Women’s Head Coach and Programme Lead, highlighted the significance of the series, saying, “Confirmation of this series follows on from the announcement of the first Six Nations Women’s Summer Series, it feels like a transformational time for the women’s pathway in the sport. The Transatlantic Quad Series offers a platform for our players transitioning between age-groups and is a window for development for our girls through meaningful game time. We’re delighted to have been invited to participate in the series and to have the opportunity for further cross-collaboration between nations in order to develop women’s rugby.”

USA Women’s U20 Head Coach Joel Bonnaud emphasized the developmental benefits of the series, stating, “Similar to previous years, this tour is critical to our athletes’ development in the Pathway, as it teaches them to form an efficient team quickly and compete against opponents who will challenge them tactically, technically, physically, and mentally for 80 minutes non-stop. However, this year provides an amazing growth opportunity, as we will have nine days to form a team instead of three. As a result, the group will be able to dig much deeper in the human relationships and brand of rugby we want to display.”