The USA Women's National Team completed a scrimmage with Ireland Saturday in Dublin.

The training session/practice game was designed to prepare the Eagles for a test match with Wales and then the WXV Tier 2 games this fall.

Some players returned to Eagle action this weekend after injuries and some other players—WPL standouts Paige Stathopolous and Yeja Dunn—are getting their first look. Hope Rogers will rejoin the team in South Africa for the WXV after being out with injury. Rogers was a mainstay of the Exeter Chiefs in the English Premiership, but she was used so much she needed some time off. 

Emily Henrich, like Rogers a former MA Sorensen Award-winner, is also back from injury.

Sarah Levy, Jenny Kronish, and uncapped players Alivia Leatherman and Amanda Berta are in Ireland to train and be ready in case they are needed later.

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Outgoing Interim Head Coach Rich Ashfield is with the team as is new Interim Head Coach Milton Haig, with the idea of providing some coaching continuity as the Eagles look for a permanent Head Coach.

“I think we have an exciting group that can continue the positive work we did in Canada in July," said Ashfield. "This tour to Ireland and Wales gives us another opportunity to build experience and start to hone the skills required to win games at WXV. Handing off to someone of Milton's experience is exciting for the program and I am sure he will help drive the program forward into WXV.”

Haig, meanwhile, is looking ahead also to the WXV.

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“All Teams at the WXV Tournament will be wanting to make improvements on their previous performances and we will be no different," said Haig. "I'm excited about some of the talent I've seen in the team and am confident we can make incremental improvements as we move forward from our time in Europe to the competition in South Africa. Ultimately we want to win test matches and work our way up the world rankings. This is not only a realistic goal but an achievable one. It will take hard work, some resilience and confidence to execute what we train, but we are ready and willing for that.”

Photos Ian Muir