Llanelli, WALES– USA Women's Head Coach Rob Cain has arrived in Llanelli, Wales, joining 24 Women’s Eagles pool players representing the USA Falcons XVs in an exhibition match at Parc y Scarlets stadium.

The match kicks off on Saturday, March 12 at 9AM ET; there will be no live stream but the Wales Rugby Union will release highlights.

Staged as a training match for Wales ahead of their 2022 Six Nations campaign, the scrimmage importantly offers a valuable mid-season training assembly for the USA players currently based in Ireland and the United Kingdom. USA-based pool players are expected to have a similar assembly in Glendale, Colo. this spring.

One notable name on the list of players is Charlotte “Lotte” Clapp, a capped international with England and England Sevens who has been approved USA eligible through the World Rugby Regulation 8 birthright transfer.

(The birthright transfer is new this year and replaces the old rule that once you are capped for a country, you can't change. The new rule allows one change if you:

a) Stand down from international rugby for 36 months, and
b) Are born in the country you're transferring to or have a parent or grandparent born in that country)

Georgie Perris-Redding is another new addition to the group, an uncapped back row for Sale Sharks who grew up in the UK but was born in the United States. Both players will remain on Head Coach Rob Cain’s radar through to the Rugby World Cup this fall.

The exhibition is arranged as a training match with open substitutes and expanded available rosters.

“Firstly, thank you to all the stakeholders involved in arranging this exciting and essential platform against Wales," said Cain. "With Wales having full- and part-time contracts, we know they will ask lots of important questions of us as a group. It's an exciting and important challenge ahead for us as we start to look at our road to the Rugby World Cup in October. Georgie and Lotte have both been in great form for their clubs and we are excited for them both to have their first opportunity with us.

“This week has really allowed us to act on the key learnings from our Autumn Tour, and for this group of players to set the benchmark for our performances in 2022. I know they can't wait to run out together at Parc y Scarlets." Cain then ended his statement saying, in Welsh, that he was grateful for the warm welcome and looked forward to seeing fans at the same: "Diolch am y croeso cynnes wythnos yma, Rydym yn edrych ymlaen i weld llawer o'r cefnogwyr cymraeg yfory.“