The USA Women’s National Team was dealt a tough blow in its Nations Cup warm-up match versus the England WNT, falling 50-3 at Esher Rugby Club, outside of London on Tuesday evening.

After arriving in England on Sunday, August 17, and training at Brunel University in Uxbridge in the interim, the Women’s Eagles faced a quick turnaround to their first competition versus the reigning RBS 6 Nations and European champion England team, which shutout the American side in its last trip to the U.K. in December 2007. However, this time around, the U.S. WNT went into the match looking to provide much stronger opposition.
The USA proved a tough opponent in the opening phases of the game, holding England scoreless until the eighth minute when lock Jo McGilchrist started her team’s dominant first half scoring campaign.

From then on, the England Women would not be contained, with additional tries from Michaela Staniford, Tamara Taylor, Kim Oliver and Maggie Alphonsi to surge ahead to a 31-3 lead before the half had elapsed. The USA got on the board before the break with a penalty kick from flyhalf Kristen Baja (New York).
After switching sides, England refused to back down, outpacing the USA Women for another three tries before the end. England flyhalf Katy McLean had a successful outing, notching five successful conversions on the day in the team’s 50-3 win over the USA.

“Although we have improved great deal in our fitness and execution since December, the outcome of today’s match was somewhat expected, following a day of training together in England. However, we will use this match as a benchmark going forward in the Nations Cup competition,” Women’s National Team Head Coach Kathy Flores said. “In the end, England dominated us across the field, but this is a good foundation to build on and we can take away valuable lessons from today’s match.”

The U.S. Women next meet England again in the opening match of the Nations Cup, at 7 p.m. on Friday, August 22, 2008, also at the Esher Rugby Club.  The USA’s second Nations Cup match versus Canada follows at Esher on Tuesday, August 26, 2008.

USA - 3
1  Jamie Burke (At-Large), 2 Lisa Butts (Davis Women), 3 Stacy Baker (Philadelphia), 4 Beckett Royce (ORSU), 5 Jillion Potter (Minnesota Valkyries), 6 Liz Dilley (C) (DC Furies), 7 Mel Denham (Beantown), 8 Blair Groefsema (Berkeley All Blues), 9 Katy Hertel (MN Valkyries), 10 Kristin Baja (New York), 11 Desiree Markovich (Minnesota Valkyries), 12 Elise Myer (Maryland Stingers), 13 Emilie Bydwell (Beantown), 14 Vanesha McGee (Philadelphia), 15 Ashley Kmiecik (Seattle Mudhens).
Replacements: 16 Farrah Douglas (Chicago North Shore), 17 Lara Vivolo (New York), 18 Sarah Walsh (Chicago North Shore), 19  Christina Hobson (New York), 20 Katy Hertel (Minnesota Valkyries), 21 Mel Kanuk (Maryland Stingers), 22  Nathalie Marchino (Berkeley All-Blues)

Penalties: Baja
England – 50
 1 Rochelle Clark (Henley), 2 Amy Garnett (Saracens), 3 Katy Storie (Blaydon Team Northumbria), 4 Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), 5 Joanna McGilchrist (Wasps), 6 Sarah Beale (Leos), 7 Margaret Alphonsi (Saracens), 8 Catherine Spencer (C) (Bath), 9 Amy Turner ( Richmond), 10 Katy McLean (vc) (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), 11 Michaela Staniford (Wasps), 12 Kim Oliver (Clifton), 13 Georgina Roberts (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), 14 Charlotte Barras (Saracens), 15 Danielle Waterman (Clifton).
Replacements: 16 Emma Layland (Richmond), 17 Sophie Hemming (Clifton), 18 Natalie Binstead (Wasps), 19 Gemma Sharples (Worcester), 20 Georgina Rozario (Plymouth Albion), 21 Emily Scarratt (Lichfield), 22 Francesca Matthews (Richmond)
Tries: McGilchrist, Staniford, Taylor, Oliver, Alphonsi, Barras, Scarratt, Turner
Conversions: McLean (5)

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