Your Scrumhalf Connection

The Girl and I knew that this was a critical match for the US since they had just previously lost to Ireland a few days ago. So we hatched a plan to videotape the match and put it up for all those fans that couldn’t be there in person. It was done without a tripod so it might be a bit jumpy or blurry, but some video is better than no video right?

UPDATE 4pm: FINALLY I got the compression settings right! Here is the full match and the highlights are still below.

WRWC: USA vs Ireland Full Match from Scrumhalf Connection on Vimeo.

We will attempt to video tape the next game as well (Sep 5, 2010), but no promises!

Round 2 of CanAm kicks off today at 5 p.m (PT) and will be Ustreamed by Canada here. Thanks to Canada Rugby and their team for streaming this game for all to watch.

from USA Rugby:

BOULDER, Colo. – The U.S. Women’s National Team has released its lineup for its second Can-Am match of their two-game series against Canada on June 18.

In the first match of the series, on Monday, the U.S. side was beaten in the final moments when Canada’s Olympic gold medalist Heather Moyse scored to put the Canadians up 14-8 over the Americans.

The USA Women Eagles will no doubt look for retribution tomorrow, when the second match kicks off at 5 p.m. (PT) at Bear Mountain Stadium in Langford, BC.

“We had a lot of unforced errors in our first match and were too slow on our defensive launch,” Women’s National Team Coach Kathy Flores said. “The Canadians do a good job of running hard into the contact point, so we’ve spent the last few sessions ironing out our communication with the end result being better commitment to ball possession and retention.”

The U.S. has also named a completely different starting lineup compared to that which took the field on Monday. With only five returning starters, this new-look U.S. squad definitely has a lot to prove.

U.S. Women’s Lineup:

1. Jamie Burke (Beantown)
2. Lisa Butts (Berkeley All-Blues)
3. Lara Vivolo (New York Rugby Club)
4. Jillion Potter (Minnesota Valkyries)
5. Sharon Blaney (Beantown)
6. Melanie Denham (Beantown)
7. Kristin Zdanczewicz (Minnesota Valkyries)
8. Blair Groefsema (Berkeley All-Blues)
9. Kim Magrini (Keystone)
10. Christy Ringgenberg (Minnesota Valkyries)
11. Nathalie Marchino (Berkeley All-Blues)
12. Emilie Bydwell (Beantown)
13. Lynelle Kugler (Twin Cities Amazons)
14. Vanesha Mcgee (New York Rugby Club)
15. Ashley English (Berkeley All-Blues) *Captain

Reserves
16. Farrah Douglas (Keyston)
17. Maurin Wallace (Beantown)
18. Stacey Bridges (Texas A&M)
19. Phaidra Knight (New York Rugby Club)
20. Melissa Kanuk (Minnesota Valkyries)
21. Amy Daniels (Beantown)
22. Ashley Kmiecik (ORSU)

from Rugby Canada:

A similar but not identical squad has been announced for Canada’s NSWT second match against the USA Eagles on Friday at Bear Mountain Stadium in Langford, BC.

Friday will be the 27th meeting of these two nations (USA lead 15-11) and since August 2009, it will be the grudge match as the series is tied, 2-2. Beyond the obvious national pride that is on the line, it is also the last chance for the players to make their case for selection for the 2010 World Cup.

The individual pressure played a role in last match’s choppiness, but the game settled by the last 10 and both teams can be expected to roll on from where they left off.

For Canada, it was on an especial high note as they had numerous scoring opportunities, including Heather Moyse’s eventual game-winner. With only minutes remaining, the USA answered back with convincing territory, and several good individual runs landed the Eagles within 10m of Canada’s line. The game would end there though, with Canada purposely kicking the ball out-of-bounds for the whistle.

This match marks a few individual milestones for Canada’s NSWT. Gillian Florence, Canada’s most-capped player in history, will receive her 60th cap on Friday. The gritty legend will likely be selected for the World Cup, making her only the second player in history to go to five World Cups.

Maria Gallo, who plays for Burnaby Lake Rugby Club, will earn her 50th cap against the same side that she earned her first cap. Like Florence, Gallo has had an illustrious rugby career, starting in 1999 when she debuted for her country in Saranac Lake versus the USA. Since then, Gallo has been to two XV’s World Cups (Spain 2002 & Canada 2006) and was captain for Canada at the 2009 Sevens Rugby World Cup in Dubai.

The combination of experience, skill and character make Gallo, originally from Argentina, an obvious choice for Friday’s match captain, but are the same reason she’s been on the national scene over 10 years. Her 50th cap will be a feather in the doctor’s cap, as her achievements extend past the touchline; Gallo has a PhD in Exercise Physiology and is an instructor at UBC in the School of Human Kinetics.

50 appearances for any country is an accomplishment, but especially so in North America where travel and financial logistics play a heavy factor in the number of international tests played per year, but Monday’s match had a peculiar disparity. Though the average age for Canada and USA differed only by a year, Canada’s 22-man roster more than doubled USA’s number of caps (413 – 184).

However, those numbers are not the ones that will matter come Friday, as the final match between these two countries before the 2010 World Cup should be another close one.

Canada’s Lineup

1. Tabitha Stavrou
2. Kim Donaldson
3. Corinne Jacobsen
4. Marie-Eve Brindamour-Carignan
5. Megan Gibbs
6. Barbara Mervin
7. Gillian Florence
8. Kelly Russell
9. Laura Stoughton
10. Anna Schnell
11. Brittany Waters
12. Sarah Ulmer
13. Mandy Marchak
14. Maria Gallo
15. Julianne Zussman

from USA Rugby:

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The women of the Northeast Rugby Union (NRU) won the Under-23 National All-Star Championship on Sunday at the University of California – Santa Barbara.

In the Tier 1 title game, NRU defeated the Midwest Thunderbirds 25-12. NRU scored within moments of the starting whistle in an attempt to put the Thunderbirds away early. A quick try in reply from the outstanding Thunderbird wing, Tyra McGrady, was not enough to stop the clinical NRU side, whose dangerous backline tormented the Midwest all day.

NRU scrumhalf, Alyssa Baccarella, contributed heavily to her side’s victory and her precise passing game allowed the Northeast to attack the Thunderbird defense effectively and often. For Baccarella’s efforts, she earned the title of the tournament’s Most Valuable Player by National Team selectors.

The Tier 2 final between the Pacific Coast Grizzlies and the USA Under-20s was so closely fought that two overtime periods were necessary to determine a winner. The Grizzlies gave the Eagles a physical game, but the national side squeaked out a win in the closing seconds of overtime as Eagle captain Katie Johnson crossed the line for a try. The game was a promotion match, so the Under-20s will move up to Tier 1 for next year’s competition.

In the Tier 1 consolation match, the West defeated the Mid-Atlantic (MARFU) women 37-18. The West will remain in Tier 1 next year, but MARFU will drop to Tier 2.

The SoCal Griffins took on the South in the Tier 2 consolation match, shutting out the Southern women 16-0.

from USA Rugby:

SHAWNIGAN LAKE, B.C. – The USA Women’s National Rugby Team were defeated in the final moments of the match, yesterday, after Canada’s Olympic gold medalist Heather Moyse scored the game winning try in injury time to put the Canadians up 14 – 8 over the Eagles in Shawnigan Lake, BC.

Only a point separated these two sides in their last meeting, with the Americans having the eventual edge, and today’s test was exactly as it was predicted to be: close.

Playing their classic style, the Americans chose to keep the ball in tight, using their forwards as much as possible. The Canadians countered, but the game lacked any open field running until the second half and even then, it was fairly conservative by both sides.

“We’re dropping balls that we should be catching,” U.S. Women’s Coach Kathy Flores said. “We’re not calling the balls in the air and we’re running into each other. Not to take anything away from Canada, I thought they played well, but I think the match would have been much different had we been on.

“We couldn’t put the ball over the line and could not put points on the board,” Flores added. “A lot of it was unforced errors, because we just got in our heads a bit.”

Standout U.S. flanker, Phaidra Knight had to agree, saying, “One of our biggest issues at this point is building our confidence. That’s what led to a lot of the handling errors, which I think were accountable in our loss.

“We have a young team and we have to turn that switch. It’s just one of those things that just happens, but we’re running out of time so we need to make that adjustment relatively soon and just execute,” Knight said.

Neither team looked comfortable in the opening 40 minutes. The first half was packed with dropped balls and knock-ons. The Americans came close to scoring, getting within meters of Canada’s try line multiple times, but a combination of unforced errors and Canada’s defense kept a ‘0’ showing on the board.

Canada finally broke the silence when backrow Kelly Russell crossed the line with her first try for Canada. A successful conversion for flyhalf Anna Schnell gave the Canadians a 7 – 0 lead at halftime.

The second half was Groundhog Day as the USA worked their way downfield and found themselves on Canada’s five meter line, except this time the Women Eagles left a five-point dent in the score when Knight dotted down near the posts. Replacement flyhalf Stephanie Bruce missed the conversion, but gained redemption when she hit a 35 meter penalty to give the Americans the lead, 8-7.

Near the end of the second half, Canadian winger Maria Gallo nearly scored a try but was bundled into touch at the flag. On the subsequent play, the ball made its way wide through several sets of hands before landing in Moyse’s, who had been subbed in just after half. The leading scorer of the 2006 World Cup looked to go wide, where she often has success, but stepped back inside and caught both the U.S. winger and fullback off guard.

Canada were cautious in their celebrations, keeping in mind the pattern of tight scorelines in the North American rivalry, but referee Nicky Inwood blew full time just minutes later.

The 26th test between Canada and the USA marked Moyse’s return to international rugby. The last time Moyse wore a Canadian rugby jersey she broke her shoulder in 2008. The injury sparked a two-year sabbatical that culminated atop the Olympic podium in Vancouver as a bobsled brakeman for driver Kaillie Humphries.

“It doesn’t really matter who you lose to when you do, it’s just disappointing,” Knight said. “Every loss is a springboard to success and we just have to learn from the mistakes we made today and correct them.”

“The U.S. has a very fit, very talented and very skillful group of players, but at the end of the day we need to execute better on the basics and that’s what we’ll take to the field tomorrow. And not just tomorrow until Friday, that’s until we set sail for England,as well.”

The teams will face again in three days at Bear Mountain Stadium in Langford, BC. Kickoff will be 5 p.m. PT on June 18, and the game will again be streamed live on U-Stream at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/live-rugby.

Scoring:

Canada: 14 (7)
Tries: Kelly Russell, Heather Moyse
Conversions: Anna Schnell, Ashley Patzer

USA: 8 (0)
Tries: Phaidra Knight
Penalties: Stephanie Bruce

1. Jamie Burke (Beantown)
2. Kitt Wagner (Beantown)
3. Rachel Reddick (Berkeley All-Blues)
4. Stacey Bridges (Texas A&M)
5. Jillion Potter (Minnesota Valkyries) *Captain
6. Beckett Royce (ORSU)
7. Phaidra Knight (New York Rugby Club)
8. Kate Daley (Keystone)
9. Kimberly Magrini (Keystone)
10. Hannah Stolba (Minnesota Valkyries)
11. Nathalie Marchino (Berkeley All-Blues)
12. Melissa Kanuk (Minnesota Valkyries)
13. Amy Daniels (Beantown)
14. Vanesha Mcgee (New York Rugby Club)
15. Christy Ringgenberg (Minnesota Valkyries)
16. Farrah Douglas (Keystone)
17. Maurin Wallace (Beantown)
18. Sharon Blaney (Beantown)
19. Kristin Zdanczewicz (Minnesota Valkyries)
20. Stephanie Bruce (Berkeley All-Bles)
21. Lynelle Kugler (Twin Cities Amazons)
22. Ashley Kmiecik (ORSU)

For more information on the Women’s National Team, please visit www.usarugby.org/goto/women_eagles or contact Swright@usarugby.org.

BOULDER, Colo. – The U.S. Women’s National Rugby Team officially released its starting lineup set to face Canada in the first of its two Can-Am matches.

The first match kicks off on Monday, June 14 at the Shawnigan Lake School in Shawnigan Lake, B.C. at 4 p.m. (PDT). The second Can-Am Match will be on Friday, June 18 at 5 p.m. at Bear Mountain Stadium in Langford, B.C.

This two-game Can-Am series marks the last two test matches that the U.S. will have before departing to the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England. The matches will be shown live via U-Stream at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/live-rugby

Live Video streaming by Ustream

To view more YSC videos hover over the heading ‘Videos’ on the navigation bar up top and choose Rugby Video Monday.

Please continue sending in your videos and I will keep posting them! Send them to wendy@scrumhalfconnection.com.

Its time for the U23 NASCs in Santa Barbara, CA this weekend! The Senior NASCs was great with several upsets, maybe we will see the same with the U23s?

UPDATE: Both events will be streamed live online via www.UStream.tv, with the Men’s Collegiate All-Star Championships show on the USARugby channel and the Women’s Under-23s shown on the USARugbyII channel. I haven’t heard if USA Rugby will be Ustreaming these games, but YSC and The Girl will be there with the West U23s so we will try to video if USA Rugby doesn’t.

As always, stay up to date with scores here, on Facebook and Twitter.

See below for the schedule and each team’s roster.

Northeast
Amanda Cleary – UMass., Amherst
Rachel Sachs – Syracuse
Evan Hoese – Radcliffe
Jill Lipari – Hofstra
Nina Eskandari – Northeastern
Katie Matthews – Bowdoin
Alyssa Baccarella – MIT
Jessica Peterson – Marist
Ali Pappas – Wellesley
Caroline Hunting – MIT
Emily Erdman – Wellesley
Amber Coutermash – Southern Vermont
Alana Melton – Beantown
Teresa Skelly – UMass., Amherst
Mary Sung – Beantown
Amy Cheeseman – UMass., Amherst
Erika Granger – MIT
Elsbeth Paige-Jeffers – Bowdoin
Liz Kelly – Rutgers
Rachelle Calixte – Radcliffe
Meaghan Reddy – Beantown
Maddie Vara – Wellesley
Krissa Wiechmann – Vassar
Naomi Oberman-Breindel – Brown
Kelsey Whitney – UMass., Amherst

Coaching staff:
Tony Brown
Bryan Hamlin
Kate Orlin
Josh Chason

Midwest
Joanna Kitlinski Grand Valley State University (C)
Kayla Baron University of Northern Iowa
Morgan Johnson North Dakota State
Tiffany Gjestvang University of Minnesota-Duluth
Jackie Osborn University of Northern Iowa
Kayleigh Hitchcock Panther Women’s Club (Pittsburgh)
Gina DeFano Northern Illinois University
Caitlin Pixler University of Northern Iowa
Alexandria Jamison Michigan State University
Emily Cameron University of Northern Iowa
Caila Ney UW-Milwaukee
Theresa Trott UW Milwaukee
Becca Brown University of Northern Iowa
Brittany Houston UW-Milwaukee
Sarah Lipa U of Illinois
Mollie Martin UW-Milwaukee
Brittany Biedenbender At-Large
Chantell Boyd Grand Valley State University
Shannon Zweber University of Northern Iowa
Tyra McGrady Indiana University
Jackie Brown Illinois State University
Alisa Ly University of Minnesota
Michelle Wong University of Michigan
Melissa Lipa Northern Illinois University

Coaching Staff:
Steve Murra Head Coach
Sue Whitwell Assistant Coach/Forwards
Roger Riley Assistant Coach
Jennifer Murra Manager
Matt Rokes Trainer

MARFU
Bennett, Hannah Drexel University
Bigelow, Elaine Princeton University
Brown, Brittany Univ. of MD
Byrne, Allison Drexel University
Cavanaugh, Erica U. of Virginia
Compito, Monique Virginia Tech *Unavailable due to conflict
Dayton, Rachel Kutztown
Dunnaville, Chastity US Naval Academy
Feinour, Brianne West Chester Univ.
Gouws, Tanya Univ. of Maryland
Hutchinson, Melissa Harrisburg Women
Johnson, Cheryl West Chester Univ.
Koplow, Grace St. Mary’s College of MD
Kriebel, Madeline West Chester Univ.
Lamm, Megan West Chester Univ.
Lee, Ashley Virginia Tech
Lucas, Kristen James River Women
Miller, Laura St. Mary’s College of MD
Monroig, Natalie Shippensburg Univ.
Nelson, Shantel American Univ.
Otto, Megan West Chester Univ.
Rooney, Kaitlyn American Univ.
Somerdyk, Moira Temple Univ.
Trujilo, Elizabeth US Naval Academy
Walter, Molly Univ. of Mary Wash.
Winter, Lauren MD Exiles

USA U20s (holding a camp as well as playing in NASCs, they have a roster of 40 as a result)
Hailey Anderson Summit, CO
Akalaini Baravilala Aliamanu Blues
Star Bollinger Cougar Women’s Rugby
Alexis Bonny Washington State
Megan Bonny Washington State
Ann Marie Bowlus UC Santa Cruise
Cassidy Davis U of Central Florida
Catherine Eichhorn Maryville, TN
Alexandra Frazier Jupiter, FL
Chelsea Garber Brown
Jozy Gessner Colorado State
Mileka Grager Washington State
Ellyn Grantham Fallbrook, CA
Keelia Harker Cougar Women’s Rugby
Becky Holmes Omaha Women
Danielle Honeycutt Hoke, NC
Katie Johnson Hopkins, MN
Brianna Klein Brookfield, WI
Mackenzie Lewis Mesa State
Hannah Lockwood Oregon State
Jasmine Mailo Aliamanu Blues
ElizabethMcCracken Nova Women
Kyandrea McKnight U of Central Florida
Mai Nguyen Brown
Brittany O’Brien U of Rhode Island
Jane Paar Navy
Catherine Parkhill U of Minnesota
Samantha Pinson Fallbrook, CA
Megan Pinson Fallbrook, CA
Brittany Rose Unattached
Rachael Ryan Wyoming
Andee Samborski Redford, MI
Jennifer Sandifer Navy
Wendy Sherman Colorado State
Rebekah Siebach Cougar Women’s Rugby
Shannon Steele U of Central Florida
Amee Svatos Canby, OR
Alycia Washington U of Connecticut
Sequoia Watson Navy
Holly Zoeller U of North Carolina

Pacific
DeCarvalho, Juliana Mudhens
Esparza, Vanessa USU
Rich, Jessica USU
Ames, Pamela Sac State
Brookins, Laura OSU
Camacho, Martha (Zully) Cal
Chapman, Delaney UCD
Falk, Sarah WWU
Green-Mitchell, Siche UOregon
Greenspan, Jenn ORSU
Hamel, Brynn Seattle U
Lessman, Margaret Seattle U
Lewis, Jackie OSU
Miller, Mashawna (Mo) UCSanta Cruz
Morris, Kelly UCD
Munson, Nic Breakers
Pascual, Angelina UC Santa Clara
Reid, Arielle UOregon
Roselin, Lisa Sac State
Sanders, Megan Breakers
Scott, Claire UCD
Steele, Nicole UOregon
Terry, Kimberly UCD
Underwood, Mika WWU
Walentowski, Jena WWU
White, Liz UCD
Woolley, Shannon USU
Zier, Christina CWU

South
Ryan Carlyle, USC
Ashley Mitchell, UCF
Zoe Sanchez, UF
Kimber Rozier, UNC
Kate Daniels, UGA
Kendall Vaughn, FSU
Corrie Coates, FSU
Dana Meschisi, FSU
Samantha Lauring, Clemson
Mary Ann Reynolds, Auburn
Katie Lorenz, UNC
Danye O’Mahoney, Auburn
Carrie Moss, UNC
Martha Wood, UNC
Cary Trump, ECU
Kimbra Nicole Merchant, UNC
Wykia Kia Macon, FSU
Ashley Hogan Harmon, USC
Cattie King, UNC
Bridget Briere, Clemson
Madeline Wilbanks, Auburn
Amonae Dobbs Brown, UGA
Emily Chosewood, Parkview HS
Erin McCroskey, UTK

West
Nick James, Texas A&M
Katie Thompson, Airfoce
Rachel Chittum, Wyoming
Stephanie Furniss, Black Ice RFC
Julia Fortkort, University of Texas
Kayla Hammond, University of New Mexico
Kayla Kahahek, Texas A&M
Kara Davis, New Mexico State University
Jess Lucia, University of Colorado
Kat McLaughlin Colorado College Rugby
Kelley Storey, Texas A&M
Simone Lumsden, University of Texas
Rebekah Knappe, Colorado State University
Amber Glasrud, University of New Mexico
Sam Miller, Mesa State College
Tina Peterson, Kansas City Jazz RFC
Marissa Cohn, University of Colorado
Becca Wezensky, University of Colorado
Kandis Ruiz, Texas A&M
Autumn Murrill, University of Texas
Jade McLaughlin, University of New Mexico
Jess Garriott, University of Northern Colorado
KC Curl, Sam Houston University
Alex Davenport, Austin Valkyries RF
Bailey Johnson, Colorado State
Katie Metkus, University of Texas
Madison Williams, Colorado State University

Coaching Staff
Angie Cranmore – Head Coach
Traci Schmidtke – Forwards Coach
Wendy Young – Backs Coach

SoCal
Jenna Anderson (UC San Diego)
Julia Anderson (San Diego Surfers)
Tia Blythe (UCLA )
Anita Bradbury (Santa Monica WRC)
Chau Bui (UCLA)
Rachel Castillo (UCLA)
Sophia Chang (UCLA)
Wing-Sheung Chui (UCLA)
Madeline Cooper (Fullerton Youth Rugby)
Andrea Foote (UC Santa Barbara )
Crystal Haynes (Las Vegas WRC)
Carrissa Hsieh (UCLA)
Yadira Ibarra (Belmont Shore WRC)
Genevieve Ireland (Orca Rugby)
Jacqueline Johnson (UCLA)
Klara Macko (Tempe WRC)
Rebecca Mendoza (UCLA)
Maria Morrissette (UCLA)
Amy Naber (Tucson Lightning)
Ella Naber (Tucson Lightning)
Angelita Ochoa (UC San Diego)
Christina Ramos (UC Santa Barbara)
Katie Seibert (UCLA)
Kristine Sommer (UC Santa Barbara)
Cassandra Tong (UCLA)
Emily Van Gulik (Claremont Colleges)