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USA Women's Eagles name debutant Carlton for fifth straight win bid against Italy

Jack Hanratty has made four changes to his USA Women's Eagles starting XV for Saturday's WXV Global Series clash with Italy in Nashville, including a first cap for loosehead prop Lauryn Carlton and a return for veteran Alev Kelter.

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USA Women's Eagles name debutant Carlton for fifth straight win bid against Italy
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The USA Women’s Eagles will look to extend their unbeaten WXV Global Series run to five matches when they face Italy at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday, with head coach Jack Hanratty naming four changes to the side that beat the same opponents 36-27 in Texas.

The most notable alteration comes in the front row, where Lauryn Carlton is set to earn her first international cap at loosehead prop, lining up alongside hooker Kathryn Treder and tighthead Keia Mae Sagapolu-Senele. The lock pairing of Hallie Taufoou and Rachel Ehrecke remains unchanged, while Hann Humphreys comes into the back row in place of Kapoina Bailey, who drops to the bench. Humphreys joins co-captain Georgie Perris-Redding and Freda Tafuna in the loose trio.

In the backs, Taina Tukuafu takes over at scrum-half from Abigail Paton, who is named among the replacements, and will partner fly-half Nina Mason. The centre pairing of Bella Vogel and Emily Henrich is retained. The sole change to the back three sees 35-year-old Alev Kelter recalled to the wing in place of Telesi Uhatafe. It marks Kelter’s first involvement in the WXV Global Series this campaign after she spent September competing in Ultimate Sevens.

Hanratty has considerable experience available from the bench. Fifty-cap players Hope Rogers and Kate Zackary are among the replacements, as is co-captain Erica Jarrell-Searcy.

Currently the only unbeaten side in the WXV Global Series, the seventh-ranked USA side will follow this fixture with a home match against England’s Red Roses at Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey.

USA Women’s Eagles matchday 23 v Italy — WXV Global Series 2026

15 Ashley Cowdrey, 14 Bulou Mataitoga, 13 Emily Henrich, 12 Bella Vogel, 11 Alev Kelter, 10 Nina Mason, 9 Taina Tukuafu, 1 Lauryn Carlton*, 2 Kathryn Treder, 3 Keia Mae Sagapolu-Senele, 4 Hallie Taufoou, 5 Rachel Ehrecke, 6 Hann Humphreys, 7 Georgie Perris-Redding (co-captain), 8 Freda Tafuna

Replacements: 16 Paige Stathopoulos, 17 Hope Rogers, 18 Reece Woods, 19 Erica Jarrell-Searcy (co-captain), 20 Kapoina Bailey, 21 Kate Zackary, 22 Abigail Paton, 23 Katana Howard

*debut

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