Quintet named in USA Eagles squad
By Mark Stevens
22/6/21
Exeter Chiefs Women's quintet Gabby Cantorna, Jennine Duncan, Rachel Johnson, Joanna Kitlinski and Kate Zackary have all been named in a 43-strong USA Women's Eagles squad for the six-week summer Daily Training Environment (DTE) camp.
All five featured for Susie Appleby's side during their maiden season in the Allianz Premier 15s, Cantorna topping the scoring charts with 85 points, while Zackary and Johnson featured prominently on the try tally with seven and six apiece.
Kitlinski made five appearances, having had stiff opposition for the hooker spot from Canadian international Emily Tuttosi - and Duncan made just two appearances, having undergone a torrid season in which she was restricted to just two games following a serious hamstring injury.
While an Autumn Test series is yet to be confirmed, the camp at the National Training Center at Glendale's Infinity Park is part of a long-term strategy to prepare for next year's World Cup in New Zealand.
"Selections are increasingly challenging," said USA Women's Eagles coach Rob Cain. "We are in a very exciting and very different place from when we started this journey. Huge credit to the players and the rest of the staff for working tirelessly to get to where we are now.
"The players' mindset shift in terms of training to win alongside their evolving peer to peer transfer are bringing out the best form of inner competition we could hope for. This is critical in terms of setting the players up for success for our World Cup aspirations in 2022 and beyond.
"When we have the next opportunity to play as a national team, we'll be in a much better place technically, physically and mentally to bring our tactical wants and needs to life. The hope is that we have now left the steep learning curves behind us, so we can start to cement and refine our playing vision, philosophy and identity.
Included are 35 of the 40 players who trained together for six weeks earlier this year. Twice-capped winger Sarah Levy (New York Rugby) returns after missing the spring session. There are two new additions in Life University lock Emerson Allen and Brigham Young University fly-half Matalasi Morissette.