Four rugby X-Women to play for Canada

X-Women rugby is well represented on the Canadian U20 team, as four members of the AUS champion and CIS silver medal squad are on the current national roster.

Prop Asya Bartley (Ottawa, ON) will be entering her third year at StFX this fall, as will center Stephanie MacKinnon (Rothesay, NB), and both have played on Canadian teams in past summers. Jessica Jacobs (Caledon, ON) recently completed her first year with the X-Women in both the hooker and flanker position and joins Bartley and MacKinnon on the Canadian squad, as does incoming X-Women freshman Beth McNeill from Vancouver, BC. Second year StFX center and 2009 AUS Rookie of the Year Amanda Thornborough was also asked to play on the U20 team but declined.

The team is scheduled to travel to the Bahamas in August to take part in the NACRA (North America and Caribbean Rugby Association) Championship. The complete press release from Rugby Canada follows.

U-20 WOMEN COMPETING IN NACRA CHAMPIONSHIP IN AUGUST
Courtesy Bryan Kelly, Rugby Canada
 
While our NSWT are in final preparation for the World Cup in England this August and September, the next generation of Canadian Women’s U-20 will be busy with their own tour to Nassau, Bahamas to take part in Nacra Championship.

The 24-woman squad from all across the country will depart August 12th and play games against the Cayman Islands, USA U-20 and Caribbean Selects (players selected from remaining Caribbean Islands) before returning home on August 22nd.

The final details of the tournament schedule have yet to be finalised by the organising committee but the Canadian National Coaching staff of Jason Young and Beth Barz have announced their 24-women roster.

U-20 Canadian Women's Roster for Nacra Championship

Lindsay Anderson          Ont            Toronto Irish
Asya Bartley                  Ont            Barrhaven Scottish
Erin Beazley                   NS             Valley Tide
Stacie Becker                 AB             St. Albert Rugby Club
Meagan Chambers         BC              Abbotsford
Teanna Chase                AB             Strathcona Druids
Tia Croteau                   BC              Bayside Sharks
Becky Delaney               Ont             Oakville Crusaders
Randi Hunter                 BC              Uvic
Jessica Jacobs               Ont             Brampton RFC
Jacqui Laidler                BC              United Rugby Club
Morganne Linthwaite     Ont             Highland RFC
Stephanie Mackinnon     NB              St. John Trojans RFC
Misha Maric                  Ont             Balmy Beach
Katie McNally                Ont             Highland RFC
Beth McNeill                  BC              Capilano RFC
Kayla Moleschi              BC               Williams Lake RFC
Michelle Moore             BC               Cowichan RFC
Laura Murphy-Burke      BC               Bayside RFC
Miranda Smith              Ont              Brampton RFC
Sade Smith                  BC                Bayside RFC     
Lauren Tagg                BC                 Burnaby Lake
Casey Thorburn            NL                Swilers
Kelsey Willoughby         AB                Lethbridge

Jason Young                BC                 Coach
Beth Barz                    Ont                Coach
Laura Libby                 Ont                 Therapist          
Penny Delaney            Ont                 Manager