46 Wallaroos have been awarded contracts for the coming season, including the World Cup. They form a so-called “managed group”.
They are:
Ruby Anderson (NSW Waratahs/Avoca Beach Rugby Club)
Ashlea Bishop (ACT Brumbies/Canberra Royals)
Emily Chancellor (NSW Waratahs/Sydney University)
Bree-Anna Cheatham (Queensland Reds/Western Districts Rugby)
Georgia Cormick (Western Force/Harlequins Rugby Club)
Lori Cramer (Queensland Reds/University of Queensland)
Carys Dallinger (Queensland Reds/Feilding Yellows)
Biola Dawa (ACT Brumbies/Canberra Royals)
Piper Duck (NSW Waratahs/Tumut Bullettes)
Waiaria Ellis (NSW Waratahs/Blacktown Scorpions)
Ashley Fernandez (ACT Brumbies/Uni-North Owls)
Georgina Friedrichs (NSW Waratahs/Wests Bulldogs)
Sally Fuesaina (ACT Brumbies/Campbelltown Harlequins)
Caitlyn Halse (NSW Waratahs/Southern Districts)
Brianna Hoy (NSW Waratahs/Coffs Harbour Snappers)
Eva Karpani (Queensland Reds/Onkaparinga)
Lydia Kavoa (ACT Brumbies/Eastern Suburbs)
Atasi Lafai (NSW Waratahs/Campbelltown Harlequins)
Kaitlan Leaney (NSW Waratahs/CSU Marlins)
Michaela Leonard (Western Force/Tuggeranong Vikings)
Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke (Western Force/Huria Rugby Club)
Ashley Marsters (Western Force/Booroondarra)
Arabella McKenzie (NSW Waratahs/Lightning Ridge Tigers)
Brittany Merlo (NSW Waratahs/Sydney University)
Desiree Miller (NSW Waratahs/Eastern Suburbs)
Tiarah Minns (Queensland Reds/Manly Mermaids)
Faitala Moleka (ACT Brumbies/Blacktown Scorpions)
Tiarna Molloy (Queensland Reds/Inverell Highlanders)
Layne Morgan (Queensland Reds/Merewether Carlton)
Tania Naden (ACT Brumbies/Uni-North Owls)
Leilani Nathan (NSW Waratahs/Hamilton Hawks)
Sera Naiqama (Western Force/Sydney University)
Alapeta Ngauamo (Western Force/Wests Bulldogs)
Bridie O’Gorman (NSW Waratahs/Sydney University)
Siokapesi Palu (ACT Brumbies/Rockdale Rangers)
Faliki Pohiva (NSW Waratahs/Manly Mermaids)
Trilleen Pomare (Western Force/Wanneroo)
Deni Ross (Queensland Reds/Gordon Rugby Club)
Allana Sikimeti (Western Force/North Eagles)
Cecilia Smith (Western Force/Leeton Dianas)
Maya Stewart (NSW Waratahs/Nelson Bay Gropers)
Adiana Talakai (NSW Waratahs/Sydney University)
Tabua Tuinakauvadra (ACT Brumbies/Tuggeranong Vikings)
Ivania Wong (Queensland Reds/Sunnybank Dragons)
Samantha Wood (Western Force/Kalamunda Rugby Club)
Natalie Wright (Queensland Reds/Wests Bulldogs)
The good news includes the return from injury of Adiana Talakai, Bree-Anna Cheatham, Emily Chancellor and Ivania Wong. Newly contracted are Alapeta Ngauamo, Lydia Kavoa and Sally Fuesaina, after debuting last season.
The High Performance director, Jaime Fernandez, was pleased to announce two vital advances for the squad: a fuller test match schedule and more time spent together.
These two elements have been an inevitable drawback in the past, not helped by the understandable priority given to the Sevens squad.
There is real competition for places. An initial group of 46 means 16 won’t make the trip to England. The scrum-half, Layne Morgan, is one who’s swallowing her patriotism and switching from NSW to Queensland for the duration.
These are the fixtures I have been able to glean:
Pacific Four/O’Reilly Cup
10 May v New Zealand, Newcastle, Qd.
17 May v USA, Canberra
23 May v Canada, Brisbane
12 July v New Zealand, Wellington
6 July v Fiji, Newcastle, Qd.
Inward Tour
26 July v Wales, Brisbane
1 August v Wales, Sydney
World Cup
23 August v Samoa, Salford
30 August v USA, York
7 September v England, Brighton and Hove
By Aussie standards these are riches indeed. The dates in May will be a real test of stamina, four weekly matches plus the travel involved.
The Wallaroos had suffered a setback in the first WXV1, being relegated to the second tier. But there they carried all before them, seeing off Scotland 31-22 in the deciding game.
It’s very early to make predictions about the RWC, but at first glance the Wallaroos might be able to face the Red Roses on the south coast with two wins under their belts. And that’s where Japan beat the Springboks in an unforgettable giant-killing act.
In global terms they still rank No 5, but closely chased by Ireland, who are on a parallel upward trajectory. A match between those two would be worth getting up for.
The Wallaroos are feeling the benefit of spreading their matches around the country. As they revisit Canberra and Newcastle for the first time since 2008 and 2019 respectively, they gain new support, especially from enthusiastic youngsters.
The one hole in the sock remains the state of Victoria. It turns its back obstinately on rugby union, but Western Australia helps sew up the gap, providing ten players including the captain, Michaela Leonard.
