Durham, UK - Tour director Jamie Frech said before her team even boarded the plane to England that she was confident the group was capable of something special out on the pitch … and tonight they delivered.

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The National Collegiate Rugby Women’s All-Americans put on a jolly good show on Wednesday August 20, defeating the North East Selects 36-20 in the first match of their World Cup Tour. 

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The victory came in front of a rowdy crowd of fans that included a few members of the USA Eagles World Cup squad, taking a break from their preparations for their opening match against the Red Roses on Friday. But the skill on display from the elite squad of collegiate athletes had at least one former Eagle, newly appointed Director of Women’s Rugby at NCR Alycia Washington, thinking about a different World Cup.

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“The US is hosting the World Cup in 2033 and, after watching this talent, I think we can win it,” said Washington.

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If you only watched the first ten minutes of the match, it might be difficult for you to reach the same conclusion as Washington. The All-Americans, who had never played together before and had just two full days of preparation after landing in England on Sunday for the Wednesday match, were slow out of the gate. The NE Selects side scored two tries in quick succession, taking a ten point lead in the first ten minutes of the match. But just when it looked like the game might turn into a rout, with their heels on the try line and the home team poised to score a third time before they had even advanced past midfield, the American defense stiffened.

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A few clutch tackles inside the five meter line led to a well-timed interception from Isabel Henderson, which gave the Americans some breathing room. The NE Selects then committed a penalty while scrambling on defense, allowing the Americans to flip the field with a nice kick to touch. From there, the Americans advanced methodically towards the opposing endline. They moved the ball well from sideline to sideline, taking care to retain possession in the rucks, until eventually center Mia Blocher out of Notre Dame charged over the line from twenty meters out and scored the first try of the tour.

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For the rest of the first half, defense was the team’s best offense. The Americans seemed to zero in on the timing of their opposition’s passes, intercepting a number of errant throws that stymied the Brits and led to promising counterattacks. Well-timed poach attempts also forced the NE Selects to commit crucial penalties, and the aggressive choice to tap and go instead of kick for points eventually resulted in the team’s second score of the match. 

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Texas Tech winger Leah Lockerman broke away for what looked like a long score down the near sideline, but the Senior was deemed to have stepped into touch. It wasn’t a problem for the Americans, however, as they stole the ensuing lineout and loose forward Isabel Henderson touched it down, making it a Notre Dame double in the first half with college teammate Blocher. One of the three conversions made by University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire senior Cerys Ridd’s successful conversion attempts put the visitors ahead 12-10 at the half. 

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Prop Taylor Wreath out of the University of Virginia helped the Americans pick up right where they left off in the second half, punching her way into the tryzone to put her team up 17-10. From there, the Americans never looked back with scores from Ada Earhart and Lilly Stough putting the game away. Lockerman also made her peace with the touch line and secured five points of her own in the second half.

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The squad now has a little over a week until their next match against North East XV on Friday, August 29. The time will be filled with training, travel, and treatments, as well as the opportunity to return the favor and cheer on the Eagles later this week.