Rugby’s Summer Programme 2022 opens up next month with the Pacific-4 Series in New Zealand.
Rob Cain has posted a list of 28 names to represent the USA, 20 of whom play in the English league. Among them are two names familiar to English eyes, Lotte Clapp (Saracens) and Georgie Perris-Redding (Sale Sharks).
Kevin Rouet hasn’t got beyond listing 45 names for his Canada squad; they will be reduced to 32 for the series. They will form the basis for the two tests that follow in August, against Italy and Wales.
Australia suffered a worrying loss this week to Japan (10-12) in Queensland. This was a first ever win for the Sakura squad over a top-5 nation and confirms how far the Wallaroos have to travel to come on terms with World Cup standards.
Although the head coach, Jay Tregonning, is the only one to have a chosen his 23 recently, he will be pondering whether he needs to make adjustments in the light of that result. His team showed the frailties to be expected from an underprepared group; they had been together for just ten days. They were overhasty in their approach work, so small inaccuracies kept thwarting their efforts.
Still, it was only a narrow defeat, due in large part to a great defensive effort by the visitors. Aussie coaches can tell their team they can put these faults to rights in no time at all. Kicking their goal chances will help.
The Black Ferns will be intent on proving they have turned a corner. That Northern Tour of last year must be viewed as a mere blip on the monitor. They and their coaches will be looking for yet another undefeated series.
The Pac-4 matches are set in pairs across three weeks with six days between, to mirror as closely as possible the demands of World Cup schedules. The series begins with the two derbies, just to get things warmed up.
The organisers will be anxious to see as many people as possible rolling up to watch, especially at the games that do not involve the home team. That will be a bellwether for attendances at the RWC four months later.
The venues are both earmarked for the World Cup as well. Only Eden Park is left over for the big occasion.
The Fixtures:
Monday 6 June, 2022. KO 12.15 local time
Canada v USA
Tauranga Domain, Tauranga
Monday 6 June, 2022. KO 14.45 local time
New Zealand v Australia
Tauranga Domain, Tauranga
Sunday 12 June, 2022. KO 12.15 local time
USA v Australia
The Trusts Arena, Waitakere, Auckland
Sunday 12 June, 2022. KO 14.45 local time
Canada v New Zealand
The Trusts Arena, Waitakere, Auckland
Saturday 18 June. KO 13.30 local time
Australia v Canada
Semenoff Stadium, Whangarei
Saturday 18 June, KO 16.00 local time
New Zealand v USA
Semenoff Stadium, Whangarei
