Twenty-year-old debutant Emmanuela Jada will join an experienced squad of players as Canada prepare to participate at the third tournament of the 2015-2016 HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series in Atlanta, USA, on 8-9 April.

“I'm extremely excited to make my series debut in Atlanta,” said Jada. “It's been lots of learning and hard work after transitioning into the programme from university rugby. I'm really looking forward to gaining experience in the series, as this is the highest level of rugby I've yet to play.”

Jada has vast international experience in sevens as well 15s. She was part of Canada’s sevens team that won gold at the 2014 FISU World University Sevens Championships in Brazil and represented Canada’s Maple Leafs in Vancouver most recently.

On the 15s side of things, Jada won two Nations Cup titles with the U20 team before representing the Maple Leafs last November for two matches against England ‘A’ where she made waves for scoring a wonderful 70 metre solo try.

“Jada has explosive speed and carries aggressively,” said head coach John Tait. “Defensively she is improving very quickly and beginning to create some positive turnovers.”

Kish leads the way

Jen Kish will once again captain Canada as they head to Atlanta joint second in the overall standings after losing the Cup final to Australia at the Sao Paulo Sevens. 

In Atlanta, Canada will tackle France, Russia and Ireland in Pool B. It marks the third straight tournament that Canada have been drawn in a pool with Ireland, who they have beaten both times. Canada defeated France in the Sao Paulo Sevens Cup quarter-finals but have yet to play Russia this year.

“All three of these teams can tackle well and contest the breakdowns,” coach John Tait said. “Russia have speed all through their line-up and can hit home runs from anywhere so we will have to be sharp and connected in our defence against them. France relies on a lot of continuity and passing to wear down defences and create a lot of turnovers from their hard-hitting style. Ireland has struggled for results but are improving rapidly each tournament.”

Canada return home the following week for the second Canada Sevens at Westhills Stadium in Langford.

Canada squad: Hannah Darling, Bianca Farella, Emmanuela Jada, Sara Kaljuvee, Jen Kish (captain), Ghislaine Landry, Megan Lukan, Kayla Mack, Kayla Moleschi, Karen Paquin, Kelly Russell, Charity Williams.

Photo credit: Ian Muir/Rugby Canada

Six Nations trio boost Ireland

Fifteens stars Sene Naoupu, Alison Miller (pictured above) and Kim Flood have been named in the Ireland squad for the next two rounds of the 2015-16 World Rugby World Sevens Series in Atlanta (8-9 April) and Langford (16-17 April)

Naoupu was an ever-present in the Women’s Six Nations 2016 as Ireland finished third behind champions France and runners-up England. Naoupu appeared in the first tournament of the series in Dubai but missed out in Sao Paulo due to her 15s commitments.

She is joined by Alison Miller, who scored a hat-trick in Ireland's Six Nations win over Scotland, while Kim Flood Is set to make her sevens bow a month after winning her first 15s cap against Italy. Flood's sister Stacey is also in the squad, which is once again captained by Lucy Mulhall.

Louise Galvin, who featured in Dubai and Sao Paulo, suffered a fracture to her leg during training and will miss out on rounds three and four of the World Series. 

"While things didn't go as we'd have liked in Sao Paulo, we'll learn from those games and will look for better displays over the coming weeks"

Anthony Eddy, director of Ireland sevens and women's rugby

Ireland will face Canada, France and Russia in Pool B in Atlanta.

The Russian side are one of the teams that will compete with Ireland for the final spot at the 2016 Rio Olympics at the repechage event, which takes place in Dublin on 25-26 June.

Ireland are currently ranked bottom of the 12-team women’s world series having only picked up a point apiece in the first two rounds in Dubai and Brazil.

Speaking ahead of the Atlanta tournament, IRFU director of sevens and women's rugby, Anthony Eddy said: "While things didn't go as we'd have liked in Sao Paulo, we'll learn from those games and will look for better displays over the coming weeks. The girls have been putting the work in at training, but now it is about putting that work into practice and getting some results from it.

“The players who were involved in the Six Nations finished on a positive note, so hopefully we can carry that winning spirit to Atlanta.”

Ireland squad: Ashleigh Baxter, Katie Fitzhenry, Kim Flood, Stacey Flood, Claire Keohane, Alison Miller, Lucy Mulhall (captain), Amee Leigh Murphy-Crowe, Sene Naoupu, Audrey O'Flynn, Hannah Tyrell, Megan Williams.

Five changes for France

France coaches David Courteix and Eric Lombarteix have made five changes to their squad for the Atlanta Sevens, round three of the HSBC World Rugby Women's Sevens Series.

Laürelin Fourcade, Camille Grassineau, Clémence Cueucier, Elodie Guiglion and Chloé Pelle come into the squad for a tournament that will see Les Bleues face Canada, Ireland and Russia at the Fifth-Third Bank Stadium.

France are currently fourth in the standings after winning the Plate in Sao Paulo, two points adrift of Canada and New Zealand above them going into the only back-to-back tournaments on the women's series.

Three players in Jessy Trémoulière, Shannon Izar and Jennifer Troncy – who all played in the last round in Sao Paulo – will join up with the France squad for round four in Langford, Canada, on 16-17 April.

France squad: Pauline Bascarat, Laürelin Fourcade, Camille Grassineau, Lina Guerin, Clémence Cueucier, Elodie Guiglion, Fanny Horta, Caroline Ladagnous, Jade le Pesq, Marjorie Mayans, Chloé Pelle, Rose Thomas.