(scrumpix.co.uk)
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Both the First team and the developmental USA ‘A’ squads will be undergoing intensive two-a-days, video sessions, mental skills conditioning and recovery work as they prepare for their respective matches against our neighbors to the north.
USA ‘A’ will kick off against Canada ‘A’ at 6pm (MST) on Tuesday, June 23 at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colo. Coached by Martha Daines, the ‘A’ squad is looking to come out strong against a physical Canadian side.
“We’ve selected a good mix of young talent, players returning to 15s after representing the US in sevens, and experienced players looking to prove themselves to the coaching staff,” commented Daines.
“With only three days to prepare, this match will be a good opportunity for the team to build cohesion and for team leaders to step up and make a positive impact.”
The Firsts, on the other hand, will continue to train through the entire week in the lead up to the Test match.
“Having a whole week’s assembly to prepare for the match is a rare opportunity for us and we plan to take full advantage of the time together,” commented head coach Kathy Flores.
“The players have been working hard this year to improve their strength and conditioning and I think that is going to have a very positive impact on the physicality of this match, as well as allowing us to capitalize on opportunities that we haven’t always been able to take advantage of before.”
The match against Canada, which also kicks off at 6pm (MST) on Saturday, June 27, at Infinity Park is widely anticipated to be a real battle. Both the USA and Canada have qualified for the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup and this CanAm match is a valuable opportunity for both sides to assess their progress as they prepare for that ultimate competition just over a year away.
After the CanAm is the Nations Cup in Toronto, Canada, from August 6-23, 2009, where the WNT will compete against England, Canada, France, and South Africa, all of whom are strong contenders to place well in next year’s World Cup.
Please visit http://www.usarugby.org/goto/women_eagles for more details on that event.
With the CanAm event kicking off its 2010 World Cup campaign, the WNT is pleased to announce the support of two new sponsors in 2009.
The first is a generous grant from the US Women's Rugby Foundation, which will be used to cover needed communication technology for the program, as well as primary sponsorship of the 2009 Eagle Reunion, held in conjunction with the CanAm match on June 27.
In addition, Pro Photo Rental of Boulder, Colo., will provide specialized photographic equipment to cover the WNT action in both the CanAm in June and the Nations Cup in August.
If you are interested in sponsoring the Women’ National Team program, please contact Alex Williams at awilliams@usarugby.org
