Leonard and Pomare in Wallaroos squad for O'Reilly Cup & WXV1 Tournament

Tue, Sep 19, 2023, 12:15 PM
by Western Force Media

Western Force pair Michaela Leonard and Trilleen Pomare have been named in the Buildcorp Wallaroos travelling squad for the upcoming Laurie O’Reilly Cup Test against New Zealand, and World Rugby’s season-ending WXV1 tournament.

Wallaroos head coach Jay Tregonning confirmed a 30-player travelling squad on Tuesday, with 18-cap Leonard to lead the side as captain again in the continued absence of Piper Duck due to an ankle injury.

The Wallaroos are at the halfway point of the season, having played four Test matches – winning two – and with four more to play against powerhouses New Zealand, England, France and Wales to finish the year.

Head Coach Jay Tregonning says the Wallaroos squad is eager to finish off their season in strong fashion.

“It was great to have the majority of the managed squad in camp during the first week of September at Ballymore, the new home for women’s rugby,” Tregonning said.

“From this camp, the selectors have chosen a squad of 30 leading into the upcoming Laurie O’Reilly Cup and WXV tournament.

“We are excited to get back out there and to continue to test ourselves against the best teams in the World.

“The squad remains largely the same from the Pacific Four Series as we look to continue to build combinations and test experience. New Zealand into England, France and Wales is an exciting way to finish up the 2023 season.

The team will assemble at the Ballymore National Rugby Training Centre in Brisbane this Friday 22 September, before travelling to Hamilton in New Zealand on the 27th to face the Black Ferns in the Laurie O’Reilly Cup.

The Wallaroos' WXV1 campaign kicks off against England in Wellington on the 20th October.

The Laurie O’Reilly Cup and all Wallaroos games from WXV1 will be available to view for Australian fans live, on-demand and ad-free on Stan Sport.

WALLAROOS SQUAD FOR O'REILLY CUP AND WXV1 MATCHES

Forwards

Emily Chancellor – 32 – Harlequins – 19 caps

Bree-Anna Cheatham – 26 – Queensland Reds – 5 caps

Annabelle Codey – 26 – Queensland Reds – 4 caps

Brianna Hoy – 23 – NSW Waratahs – uncapped

Eva Karpani – 27 – NSW Waratahs – 17 caps

Atasi Lafai – 29 – NSW Waratahs – 6 caps

Kaitlan Leaney – 22 – Harlequins – 11 caps

Michaela Leonard (c) – 28 – Western Force – 18 caps

Ashley Marsters – 29 – Melbourne Rebels – 23 caps

Tania Naden – 31 – ACT Brumbies – 6 caps

Sera Naiqama – 28 – NSW Waratahs – 10 caps

Leilani Nathan – 23 – NSW Waratahs – uncapped

Bridie O’Gorman – 24 – NSW Waratahs – 15 caps

Emily Robinson – 30 – NSW Waratahs – 20 caps

Adiana Talakai – 24 – NSW Waratahs – 12 caps

Tabua Tuinakauvadra – 20 – ACT Brumbies – 1 cap

Backs

Lori Cramer – 30 – Exeter Chiefs – 17 caps

Carys Dallinger – 23 – Queensland Reds – 2 caps

Georgina Friedrichs – 28 – NSW Waratahs – 15 caps

Jasmin Huriwai – 29 – ACT Brumbies – 4 caps

Arabella McKenzie – 24 – Harlequins – 18 caps

Desiree Miller – 21 – NSW Waratahs – uncapped

Faitala Moleka – 18 – ACT Brumbies – 2 caps

Layne Morgan – 24 – NSW Waratahs – 15 caps

Trilleen Pomare – 30 – Western Force – 21 caps

Cecilia Smith – 29 – Queensland Reds – 8 caps

Maya Stewart – 23 – NSW Waratahs – 5 caps

Melanie Wilks - 23 - Queensland Reds - uncapped

Ivania Wong – 25 – Queensland Reds – 11 caps

Utility

Siokapesi Palu – 26 – ACT Brumbies – 3 caps

BUILDCORP WALLAROOS 2023 FIXTURES

Wallaroos 22 defeated Fijiana 5, Saturday 20 May, at Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Wallaroos 0 defeated by Black Ferns 50, Thursday 29 June, at Dolphin Stadium, Moreton Bay (First O'Reilly Cup Match, Pacific Four Series)

Wallaroos 58 defeated USA 17, Saturday 8 July, at TD Place, Ottawa (Pacific Four Series)

Wallaroos 7 defeated by Canada 45, Friday 14 July, at TD Place, Ottawa (Pacific Four Series)

Wallaroos v Black Ferns, Saturday 30 September, FMG Stadium, Waikato (Second O'Reilly Cup Match)

Wallaroos v England, Friday 20 October, at Sky Stadium, Wellington, 7:00pm NZDT (WXV1)

Wallaroos v France, Saturday 28 October, at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, 7:00pm NZDT (WXV1)

Wallaroos v Wales, Friday 3 November, Go Media Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland, 7:00pm NZDT (WXV1)

Force duo Pomare and Leonard to start for Wallaroos against NZ

Thu, Sep 28, 2023, 9:35 AM
by Western Force Media

Western Force duo Trilleen Pomare and Michaela Leonard will both start for the Buildcorp Wallaroos in the side to face New Zealand on Saturday in the second and final O'Reilly Cup match for 2023.

The starting XV that will take the field at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton is headlined by four changes from the lineup that featured in Australia’s last-start loss to Canada in July.

Sera Naiqama has been named alongside captain Leonard in the second row, with Kaitlan Leaney shifting blindside flanker.

Ashley Marsters will start at number 8 while Emily Chancellor will resume her usual position at openside flanker.

The final change sees experienced campaigner Pomare return to the starting side, named in the centres alongside Georgina Friedrichs.

An unchanged starting front row combination features props Bree-Anna Cheatham and Eva Karpani, and Adiana Talaki at hooker.

The crafty Layne Morgan and Carys Dallinger will once again combine in the halves – the same combination that steered the Wallaroos in their last encounter with New Zealand in June.

“The team’s last performance against the Black Ferns was a long time ago now but we’ve taken the learnings from that game and want to produce a positive result this Saturday,” Tregonning said.

“At our camp in Brisbane, the squad has been focused on lifting their intensity and work rate to match the gameplan we want to execute out on the field.”

The match will be shown live, ad-free, and on-demand on Stan Sport.

Wallaroos vs. New Zealand

FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton

11.35am WST Saturday 30 September

Wallaroos

1. Bree-Anna Cheatham
2. Adiana Talakai
3. Eva Karpani
4. Sera Naiqama
5. Michaela Leonard (c)
6. Kaitlan Leaney
7. Emily Chancellor
8. Ashley Marsters
9. Layne Morgan
10. Carys Dallinger
11. Ivania Wong
12. Trilleen Pomare
13. Georgina Friedrichs
14. Maya Stewart
15. Lori Cramer

16. Tania Naden
17. Emily Robinson
18. Bridie O’Gorman
19. Leilani Nathan
20. Tabua Tuinakauvadra
21. Jasmin Huriwai
22. Cecilia Smith
23. Faitala Moleka

BUILDCORP WALLAROOS UPCOMING FIXTURES

Wallaroos v Black Ferns, Saturday 30 September, FMG Stadium, Waikato (Second O'Reilly Cup Match)

Wallaroos v England, Friday 20 October, Sky Stadium, Wellington (First World XV Match)

Wallaroos v France, Saturday 28 October, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin (Second World XV Match)

Wallaroos v Wales, Friday 3 November, Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland (Third World XV Match)

Martha Mataele on the Black Ferns bench, pretty sure a Test Debut.