Following a highly successful tour in 2013, the Thunderbirds have returned to play three fixtures in Wales, again all hosted by the Old Penarthians RFC.
The team of 25 ladies is selected from eight states in America including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and Ohio. The players came through an intensive selection process to represent their region and it is considered a great honour to make the side.
On their last visit in 2013 they managed to return a winning 2-1 record, beating a Welsh U23 team and Pontyclun, only losing out to Cardiff Quins (boasting nine full internationals who went on to represent Wales in the 2014 World Cup in France).
The Thunderbirds have already played Pontyclun and Llandaff North and complete their tour on Saturday.
The Midwest U23 Select Side was formed in 1998. The idea was to build a program that would feed the newly formed USA U23 National team while providing a link between the colleges and club teams within the Midwest.
The team’s first competition was in November of 1998 when the team travelled to Atlanta, Georgia to compete in a tournament hosted by Emory University. The team won the tournament.
By 2000 the other USA territories formed U23 Select Side programs and in July of 2000 the first U23 National Championship was held at the University of Massachusetts. The Midwest U23’s defeated The West U23’s in the final.
In 2001 the program had developed nine area U23 programs within the Midwest and this resulted in the need to create a U21 program to provide higher level rugby for the younger players. Both the U23’s and U21’s competed in the 2001 U23 National Championships with the U23’s again beating the West U23’s in the Championship game.
The Midwest U23’s began to dominate the U23 National Championships and were crowned National Champions in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2011.
Wales Select v Thunderbirds, KO 2.30pm
Saturday August 15, at Old Penarthians
Wales Select squad: Caryl Thomas, Cerys Hale, Catrin Edwards, Amy Evans, Delyth Davies, Cara Hope, Rebecca Rowe, Siwan Lillicrap, Amy Garrett, Ffion Elen Evans, Ffion Jones, Nat Walsh, Becky Newton; Sian Moore, Amy Day, Hannah Jones, Robyn Wilkins, Angharad De Smet, Eli Norkett, Elin Huxtable, Jodie Evans, Kerin Lake, Robyn Harris, Raf Taylor, Alex Clarke, Dyddgu Hywel, Brittony Price
