Eight players from the Safeguard Global ACT Brumbies have been named in the 30-player Wallaroos squad for WXV 2 in South Africa and the upcoming tour of Ireland and Wales in September and October.
Wallaroos coach Jo Yapp has made four changes to the squad that featured in the July Test block with two key players ruled out through injury.
Piper Duck (ankle) underwent surgery last week and won’t travel to the northern hemisphere while Allana Sikimeti (calf) will also miss the away Test schedule. Uncapped trio Ashley Fernandez, Lucy Dinnen and Tiarah Minns are the new faces for the tour while Brumbies prop Sally Fuesaina has been recalled to the squad.
Fernandez was part of the Pacific Four series campaign but did not play a game while Minns returns after injury ruled her out of the Test matches in May.
Fuesaina and Fernandez will join fellow Brumbies contingent Siokapesi Palu, Tania Naden, Faitala Moleka, Biola Dawa, Lydia Kavoa and Tabua Tuinakauvadra for the tour.
Wallaroos coach Jo Yapp said: “We are looking forward to playing against different teams in the second half of our season and with next year’s Rugby World Cup our long-term focus.
“The ability to travel overseas for most of our squad is a new experience and the upcoming matches against Ireland and Wales provides us with valuable match time before WXV in South Africa.
“We have had to make a few forced changes to the travelling squad due to injury which is disappointing, but we are also focused on those next in line and bringing out the best in them.”
The Wallaroos depart for Belfast on September 6, playing against Ireland on September 14 before turning their attention to a Test match in Wales on September 20.
Yapp's side will clash with Wales again in the opening round of WXV in Cape Town before matches against South Africa and Scotland.
2024 WALLAROOS SQUAD – WXV AND IRELAND AND WALES
- Lori Cramer (#172 - University of Queensland) – 23 caps
- Biola Dawa (#211 - Wagga Reddies) – 2 caps
- Lucy Dinnen* (Wanneroo) – uncapped
- Ashley Fernandez* (Uni-North Owls) – uncapped
- Georgina Friedrichs (#178 - Wests Bulldogs) – 24 caps
- Sally Fuesaina (Campbelltown Harlequins) – 3 caps
- Caitlyn Halse (#210 – Southern Districts) – 2 caps
- Brianna Hoy (#203 - Coffs Harbour Snappers) – 8 caps
- Eva Karpani (#171 - Onkaparinga) – 26 caps
- Lydia Kavoa (#214 - Eastern Suburbs) – 1 cap
- Atasi Lafai (#161 - Campbelltown Harlequins) – 14 caps
- Kaitlan Leaney (#179 - CSU Marlins) – 20 caps
- Michaela Leonard (c) (#168 - Tuggeranong Vikings) – 27 caps
- Ashley Marsters (#117 - Booroondarra) – 29 caps
- Arabella McKenzie (#175 - Lightning Ridge Tigers) – 26 caps
- Desiree Miller (#204 - Eastern Suburbs) – 7 caps
- Tiarah Minns* (Manly Marlins) – uncapped
- Faitala Moleka (#199 - Blacktown Scorpions) – 11 caps
- Tiarna Molloy (#191 - Inverell Highlands) – 3 caps
- Layne Morgan (#188 - Merewether Carlton) – 26 caps
- Tania Naden (#197 - Uni-North Owls) – 15 caps
- Leilani Nathan (#202 - Hamilton Hawks) – 7 caps
- Alapeta Ngauamo* (Wests Bulldogs) – uncapped
- Bridie O'Gorman (#180 - Sydney University) – 22 caps
- Siokapesi Palu (#194 - Rockdale Rangers) – 11 caps
- Trilleen Pomare (#155 - Wanneroo) – 29 caps
- Cecilia Smith (#190 - Leeton Dianas) – 15 caps
- Maya Stewart (#196 - Nelson Bay Gropers) – 11 caps
- Tabua Tuinakauvadra (#200 - Tuggeranong Vikings) – 6 caps
- Natalie Wright (#213 - Wests Bulldogs) – 2 caps
*denotes potential debutant Capped players unavailable for selection due to injury
- Emily Chancellor
- Bree-Anna Cheatham
- Piper Duck
- Emily Robinson
- Allana Sikimeti
- Adiana Talakai
WALLAROOS TOUR OF IRELAND AND WALES
- Saturday September 14 - Australia v Ireland at Kingspan Stadium, Belfast (11:30pm AEST)
- Saturday, September 21 - Australia v Wales at Rodney Parade, Newport (4:00am AEST)
WALLAROOS WXV SCHEDULE
- Saturday, September 28 - Australia v Wales at DHL Stadium, Cape Town (8:30pm AEST)
- Sunday, October 6 - Australia v South Africa at Athlone Stadium, Cape Town (1:00am AEST)
- Sunday, October 13 - Australia v Scotland at Athlone Stadium, Cape Town (2:00am AEDT)
*Please note all dates and times are AEST/AEDT
