Super Series sides shaping up

England, New Zealand, France, Canada and the USA are making their final preparations for this summer’s exciting Super Series with squads being finalised for the event in San Diego in June and July.

The tournament will kick off on June 26th and extend through to July 14th, with each team playing each other once during the two-and-a-half-week duration.

Coming two years before the next World Cup, the event will provide excellent preparation at this stage in the cycle for the world's top five sides and as expected, plenty of new faces are involved.

England

England have been training at Bisham Abbey and go into the tournament on the back of a Six Nations win and a victory over the Barbarians at Twickenham.

Having made their senior debuts in that Barbarians fixture, uncapped duo Chloe Edwards and Clara Nielson have been added to the Red Roses squad for the Super Series.

Sarah Beckett (Firwood Waterloo Ladies) and Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning) return following injury, while Heather Kerr (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), who was a replacement for BarbariansagainstEngland two weeks ago, re-joins the squad. Many of England's games are being shown live on Sky Sports.Missing are key players through injury and unavailabilities such as Katy Daley-Mclean and Rachael Burford, but Simon Middleton will relish the chance to put younger players through their paces at this stage in the World Cup cycle, against the world's best sides.

ENGLAND:Zoe Aldcroft, Sarah Beckett, Sarah Bern, Hannah Botterman, Poppy Cleall, Vickii Cornborough, Lark Davies, Chloe Edwards, Sarah Hunter Heather Kerr, Clara Nielson, Cath O'Donnell, Marlie Packer, Ellena Perry, Abbie Scott, Zoe Harrison, Tatyana Heard, Natasha Hunt, Claudia MacDonald, Sarah McKenna, Amber Reed, Leanne Riley, Emily Scarratt, Emily Scott, Kelly Smith, Lydia Thompson, Lagi Tuima, Carys Williams.

New Zealand

Black Ferns coach Glenn Moore is taking 30 players to the US and among the six new caps is North Harbour prop Olivia Ward-Duin, called up for 20-test cap Aldora Itunu, who has a knee injury.

Forne Burkin from Canterbury, Luka Connor (Bay of Plenty), Karli Faneva (BOP), Kennedy Simon (Waikato) and Pia Tapsell (North Harbour) are also new to the squad.

Joanah Ngan-Woo (Wellington) and Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu (Counties-Manukau) have been named in previous squads, and are yet to make their debuts.  With so many changes up front, it will surely be an area where other sides have an eye on getting the upper hand.

Les Elder will captain the world champion side having taken over as skipper and she is assisted by the experience of players like Kelly Brazier and Kendra Cocksedge."This is a very exciting squad – a real mix of experienced players and younger players ready to make their mark," Moore said.NEW ZEALAND:Forne Burkin, Luka Connor, Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate, Phillipa Love, Toka Natua, Aleisha-Pearl Nelson, Leilani Perese, Olivia Ward-Duin, Eloise Blackwell, Karli Faneva, Joanah Ngan-Woo, Charmaine Smith, Les Elder (captain), Charmaine McMenamin, Marcelle Parkes, Kennedy Simon, Pia Tapsell, Kendra Cocksedge, Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, Chelsea Alley, Kelly Brazier, Krysten Cottrell, Ruahei Demant, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Carla Hohepa, Ayesha Leti-I'iga, Natahlia Moors, Alena Saili, Renee Wickliffe, Selica WiniataUSA

Rob Cain has announced nine new faces in his squad. Five are US 7s players including Alev Kelter, Kris Thomas, Hope Rogers, Eti Haungatau and Ashlee Byrge.

Rogers, Haungatau and Byrge joined the side to play the Barbarians earlier this summer, where Haungatau scored two impressive tries while Kelter and Thomas last played 15s side for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017.

Head Coach Rob Cain said: "We are under no illusions how tough the competition will be, but we also know how invaluable this experience is for us as a team. Having nine possible debutants and only five players in the 28 squad in double figures for caps shows how important these games are for their development as individuals and collectively as a programme.”

USA:Katy Augustyn, Bui Baravilala, Catie Benson, Amy Naber-Bonté, Stacey Bridges, Ashlee Byrge, Elizabeth Cairns, Gabriella Cantorna, Jennine Duncan, Fane "Eti" Haungatau, Emily Henrich, Katana Howard, Charli Jacoby, Nick James, Rachel Johnson, Alev Kelter, Joanna Kitlinski, Bulou Mataitoga, Olivia Ortiz, Neariah "Nene" Persinger, Hope Rogers, Asinate Serevi, Kristine Sommer, Nicole Strasko, Joycelynn Taufa, Kris Thomas, Alycia Washington, Kate Zackary

Canada

Sandro Fiorino has chosen an experienced Canadian team including the likes of Amanda Thornborough, Elissa Alarie and captain Laura Russell who all competed in the 2014 World Cup where Canada finished second.

Hehas also sprinkled her squad with new faces and she says that the team will be looking to build on recent wins over the US.

“The Super Series is a great platform for our players and staff to compete and perform against the best nations in the world. With the Women's Rugby World Cup 26 months away, it's key for us as a team to have a good understanding of where we are at and where we need to build to after this series," he said.

CANADA.Alex Tessier, Alysha Corrigan, Amanda Thornborough, Anaïs Holly, Brianna Miller, Courtney Holtkamp, DaLeaka Menin, Elissa Alarie, Fabiola Forteza,  Gabrielle Senft, Gillian Boag, Irene Patrinos, Jacey Grusnick, Janna Slevinky, Laura Russell, Toronto Nomads, Lori Josephson, Marie Thibault, Maude Laliberté, Mckinley Hunt, MP Fauteux, Ngalula Fuamba, Olivia DeMerchant, Paige Farries, Westshore,  Sabrina Poulin, Sara Kaljuvee, Sara Svoboda, Sophie De Goede, Taylor Black, Tyson Beukeboom, Cowichan Piggies, Veronica Harrigan

France

The squad is full of familiar faces, with Cyrielle Banet returning after missing the Six Nations, and Camille Cabalou also back in the squad.

One of the most interesting changes is the replacement of head coach Oliver Lievremont with Stephane Eymard, following Lievremont's move to a new role in Corsica.

FRANCE:Julie Annery (AC Bobigny 93 Rugby); Lise Arricastre (Lons Rugby Female Béarn Pyrénées); Cyrielle Banet (Montpellier RC); Axelle Berthoumieu (Blagnac RF); Caroline Boujard (Montpellier RC); Pauline Bourdon (AS Bayonne); Camille Cabalou (Stade Toulousain Rugby); Lénaïg Corson (Stade Français Paris); Emma Coudert (ASM Romagnat RF); Annaëlle Deshaye (AS Rouen UC); Coumba Diallo (Stade Français Paris); Célia Domain (Blagnac RF); Céline Ferer (AS Bayonne); Maelle Filopon (Stade Toulousain Rugby); Audrey Forlani (Blagnac RF); Gaëlle Hermet (Toulousain Rugby Stadium); Camille Imart (Toulousain Rugby Stadium); Clara Joyeux (Blagnac RF); Fiona Lecat (Stade Toulousain Rugby); Marine Menager (Montpellier RC); Romane Menager (Montpellier RC); Safi N'diaye (Montpellier RC); Morgane Peyronnet (Montpellier RC); Élise Pignot (ASM Romagnat RF); Laure Sansus (Stade Toulousain Rugby); Agathe Sochat (Montpellier RC); Caroline Thomas (ASM Romagnat RF); Laure Touye (Blagnac RF); Jessy Tremouliere (Stade Rennais Rugby); Gabrielle Vernier (Lille Métropole RC Villeneuvois)