Jay Tregonning, the new Australia coach, has announced a squad of 32 players to meet Fiji and Japan in two tests:
Iliseva Batibagasga (NSW Waratahs), Emily Chancellor (NSW Waratahs), Annabelle Codey (Queensland Reds), Lori Cramer (NSW Waratahs), Piper Duck (NSW Waratahs), Georgina Friedrichs (NSW Waratahs), Grace Hamilton (NSW Waratahs), Tamika Jones (Western Force), Asovia (Eva) Kapani (NSW Waratahs), Janita Kareta (Melbourne Rebels), Grace Kemp (Brumbies), Kaitlan Leaney (NSW Waratahs), Michaela Leonard (Brumbies), Ashley Marsters (Rebels), Lilyann Mason-Spice (Brumbies), Jemima McCalman (Brumbies), Arabella McKenzie (NSW Waratahs), Tiarna Molloy (Queensland Reds), Layne Morgan (NSW Waratahs), Mahalia Murphy (NSW Waratahs), Sera Naiqama (NSW Waratahs), Bridie O’Gorman (NSW Waratahs), Siokapesi Palu (Brumbies), Shannon Parry (Queensland Reds), Liz Patu (Queensland Reds), Pauline Piliae (NSW Waratahs), Trilleen Pomare (Western Force), Madison Schuck (Queensland Reds), Cecilia Smith (Queensland Reds), Adiana Talakai (NSW Waratahs), Melanie Wilks (Queensland Reds), Ivania Wong (Queensland Reds)
The presence of 22 uncapped players in the 32 is the clearest indication of how far back in the queue the Wallaroos now stand. Tregonning will be delighted to welcome Shannon Parry into the 15s fold for the first time in five years. He really needs more of her outstanding 7s team-mates to make the same transition, but that won’t happen.
No fewer than fifteen of the squad play for the Waratahs, but they lost decisively to Fijiana Drua in the recent Super W final. They may be thankful they don’t meet them in the pool stages of the World Cup.
But they are fated to meet the Black Ferns in two summer matches, then again in Pool A of the RWC.
Their long-standing fifth position in world rankings will now be tested severely. These will be their first international matches since August 2019.
The tests details:
May 6 v Fijiana at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
May 10 v Japan at Bond University, Gold Coast
