The European Qualifier for the World Cup in New Zealand 2021 (postponed to 2022) begins for the XV Lionesses this Monday, at 6:00 p.m. and live on Teledeporte, when they face Ireland in the first of the three matches of a tournament with an all-against-all format. For this reason, the team led by José Antonio Barrio is already in Parma, where all the matches of the four participating teams will take place, as well as Spain and Ireland, Scotland and the host Italy.
The concentration of Jaca concluded in a very satisfactory way and the team is ready to surely face “one of the most powerful qualifiers” that the XV women’s rugby team has had and will have to face. as Captain Isabel Rico explains. Recall that, of the four participants, one will access the World Cup directly, while the second best will play the repechage.
After two concentrations in summer (León and Jaca), the recent friendly against Stade Toulousain, the victory in the 2020 European Championship (postponed to 2021) and magnificent stress management of unprecedented uncertainty, with countless postponements in the last year and a half, is the moment of truth for the XV Lionesses.
Without physical setbacks or last minute changes, the coach has made the call for 28 players for the tournament from the list he has had during the last two weeks. The returns of the captain herself and Patricia García, who could not be in the European past, are confirmed. In addition, the pilier Sidorella Bracic and the second Carmen Castellucci line are consolidated, who made their debut in said competition, while Lea Ducher will be the only debutant, although she has already been international in the sevens modality.