RUGBY: Whitefish's Heavirland to represent United States in England

CHULA VISTA, Calif. - A squad of 12 young women will represent the USA at a sevens rugby tournament on May 20-21 at Twickenham Stadium in London.

The tournament at Broadwater Sports Club will offer U.S. national coach Richie Walker an opportunity to give a selection of the Olympic Training Center residents additional playing time a week before the season ends with an HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series event in Clermont-Ferrand, France.

Currently seventh in the Series standings, the Women’s National Sevens, the Eagles, were drawn in a pool with England, Kenya, and Spain for the final round May 28-29.

In all, the younger Falcons roster holds 91 caps in the HSBC Series.

Whitefish’s Nicole Heavirland made her national team debut at HSBC Atlanta Sevens, the U.S.’s home tournament on the five-round circuit, and made a few appearances a week later at the Canada Sevens, while 19-year-old Richelle Stephens’ passport will get yet another stamp ahead of possible selection to the final round of the Series.

Carmen Farmer is the most recent to receive a sevens cap with the national team in an extensive career that has included a selection to the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 player pool.

Walker will finalize his national team roster for Clermont-Ferrand Sevens after the tournament.