The USA women's 15s team caps off their Pacific Four run Friday at 4PM against New Zealand and they know it's going to be a tough ask.
New Zealand has beaten Australia 50-0 and Canada 52-17 already, and since the USA gave up 50 each to both of those teams, then, yes, this will be a difficult game. The USA is going to finish 4th out of the four in the Pacific Four and will track to the Tier 2 of the WXV this fall. So in a way this game brings with it a nothing-to-lose aspect.
Interim Head Coach Rich Ashfield has made some changes following the Eagles' comprehensive loss to Australia.
Charli Jacoby comes in for Mae Sagapolu at tighthead prop. Rachel Ehrecke comes in for Even Ashenbrucker at lock, with flanker Georgie Perris-Redding taking on the vice captain role. In the backs Summer Harris-Jones replaces Lotte Clapp at wing. There are some changes on the reserves bench also with Tiara A'Au coming on as front row support, Ashenbrucker on the bench instead of starting, and scrumhalf Olivia Ortiz stepping in where Carly Waters was last week. Former Harvard captain Erica Jarrell, now with Beantown, could get her first cap. Jarrell is slated to be a back row reserve but she has experience throughout the pack.
“We are fully aware of the team the Black Ferns are and where we are as a group looking to build and grow," said Ashfield. "We hope to see improvements in the small details this week that we think can have an impact for us moving forward as we look to WXV. We are confident we can cause the Black Ferns some problems with our physicality and pace.
"Coming from WPL or U23 is a big jump to international level, all the players involved in this tour have gained a lot both on and off the field from this experience. Some have never played senior rugby before, some have never been away from home for so long, so it creates lots of different challenges. What has been clear though with all of the players is once they get on the pitch they are willing to work and fight. Hopefully with time and experience together we can start to form a formidable group of players.”
| Pacific Four | W | L | T | PF | PA | PD | BT | BL | Pts |
| New Zealand | 2 | 0 | 0 | 102 | 21 | 81 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| Canada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 71 | 69 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Australia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 58 | 67 | -9 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| USA | 0 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 108 | -74 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
