Wallaroo July Test Squad

[Burgs]

Sad news for Sammie Wood, out through injury, but fantastic reward for Alapeta Ngauamo with a Squad call up at 35!
Captain Michaela Leonard, evergreen Trilleen Pomare and 2024 Debutant Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke are all retained.
The original 2024 Squad structure was 30 positions with a 10 player "Development Squad".
Tamika Jones is named in this 38 player full Squad and for mine is fully justified selection next week with the hardness in contact she brings, particularly in the hunt for "Breakdown" dominance Coach Yapp seeks.
Also, acknowledging the return of Pinjarra born Qld Red Sarah Dougherty to the Squad,

Yapp looking for growth as Wallaroos training squad locked in for July Tests

Mon, Jun 24, 2024, 9:49 AM
Nathan Williamson

Wallaroos coach Jo Yapp is hoping to build off their Pacific Four campaign as she locks in a 38 player training squad.

The squad will assemble in Canberra on Tuesday ahead of Tests against Fijiana and New Zealand.

“It’s been a great opportunity to get some really good insight in the last block and now moving forward, we know exactly what we need to do," she told Rugby.com.au

“We have a much better understanding of the players in the squad and each other so we’ve taken those learnings and had an opportunity to put that into the camp.

“It’ll be an exciting opportunity down at Canberra with the 38 players coming in. We’re going to have a hit out on Saturday, which will enable another opportunity for a competitive game."

Queensland Reds flyhalf Carys Dallinger is amongst the inclusions, called in after missing the Pacific Four series.

“She’s had a tough season with consistency and with a couple of injuries," Yapp notes.

“We were quite clear on those areas and she obviously needed to be filly fit so she’d worked on those focus points and we’re excited to see her come back in and see what she can bring.”

Dallinger is joined by Reds half Sarah Dougherty after Force scrumhalf Sam Wood was ruled out with a back injury.

“Sammie has been dealing with a niggling back for a while now and it hasn’t settled," Yapp explained.

“She’s a young player so we want to get this opportunity to get her right rather than push her so she’s fit going into the August camp."

NSW Waratahs lock Anabelle Codey and Reds front-rower Madison Schuck have also been added, with the squad set to be trimmed before next week's Fijiana Test in Sydney.

Rebels flanker Ash Marsters has been named as she deals with a knee injury suffered during the defeat to the USA.

Breakdown remains a key area of work-on for the squad as they hunt for their first win of the year.

“(Breakdown) has been a big focus for us in those managed groups over the last couple of weeks," Yapp added.

“…I think where we let ourselves down was more that attacking breakdown with our work on the floor and speed to get there and clean out the threats."

WALLAROOS TRAINING SQUAD FOR JULY SERIES

Allana Sikimeti (ACT Brumbies)

Alapeta Ngauamo (Western Force)

Annabelle Codey (NSW Waratahs)

Arabella McKenzie (NSW Waratahs)

Ashlea Bishop (ACT Brumbies)

Ashley Fernandez (ACT Brumbies)

Ashley Marsters (Melbourne Rebels)

Atasi Lafai (NSW Waratahs)

Biola Dawa (ACT Brumbies)

Brianna Hoy (NSW Waratahs)

Bridie O'Gorman (NSW Waratahs)

Caitlyn Halse (NSW Waratahs)

Carys Dallinger (Queensland Reds)

Cecilia Smith (Queensland Reds)

Desiree Miller (NSW Waratahs)

Eva Karpani (NSW Waratahs)

Faitala Moleka (ACT Brumbies)

Georgina Friedrichs (NSW Waratahs)

Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke (Western Force)

Kaitlan Leaney (NSW Waratahs)

Layne Morgan (NSW Waratahs)

Leilani Nathan (NSW Waratahs)

Lori Cramer (Queensland Reds)

Lydia Kavoa (ACT Brumbies)

Madison Schuck (Queensland Reds)

Maya Stewart (NSW Waratahs)

Melanie Wilks (Queensland Reds)

Michaela Leonard (Western Force)

Natalie Wright (Queensland Reds)

Piper Duck (NSW Waratahs)

Sarah Dougherty (Queensland Reds)

Siokapesi Palu (ACT Brumbies)

Skye Churchill (NSW Waratahs)

Tabua Tuinakauvadra (ACT Brumbies)

Tamika Jones (Western Force)

Tania Naden (ACT Brumbies)

Tiarna Molloy (Queensland Reds)

Trilleen Pomare (Western Force)

[Burgs]

Probably not surprising, but no mention of Shalom Sauaso's departure to the Brisbane Broncos Development List.
Really disappointing for Union to see such a talent lost, but hopefully still a chance to see her back in the future.
She will excel at any one of the three main forms of the Rugby Family and may be inspired to Sevens, if the girls are successful in Paris, for a 2032 Brisbane Home Olympics retirement...

[Burgs]

Ngauamo named among five Force stars in Wallaroos training camp

Mon, Jun 24, 2024, 1:14 PM
Ben Somerford

Front-rower Alapeta Ngauamo has earned her maiden Wallaroos call-up as one of five Western Force players in the 38-player training squad for the upcoming camp in Canberra.

Ngauamo will be joined by Force stars Trilleen Pomare, Michaela Leonard, Tamika Jones and Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke for the camp ahead of Tests next month against Fijiana and New Zealand.

Teenage scrum-half Samantha Wood, who made her Wallaroos debut last month, is unavailable due to injury.

Ngauamo’s inclusion comes after a strong debut season in the west, making six appearances including five starts with one try.

The final Wallaroos’ squad for the upcoming Tests against Fijiana (July 6 in Sydney) and New Zealand (July 14 in Brisbane) is set to be announced over the weekend.

Both games are live streamed on Stan Sport. Tickets available via Ticketek.

Upcoming Tests

Wallaroos v Fiji, Saturday 6 July 2:45pm AWST, Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Wallaroos v New Zealand, Sunday 14 July 12pm AWST, Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane

[Burgs]

Squad down to 30.
Continued great news for Jones and Ngauamo!
Hopefully finally a much deserved Cap for Jones having first made the Squad in 2022.
Leonard and Pomare keep on trucking.
I'm in no way wishing her injury, but hopefully Malcolm Heke is a twinge rather than an omission, I thought she was doing really well.

Four Force players named in Wallaroos squad for Fiji & NZ Tests

Sun, Jun 30, 2024, 11:30 AM
Western Force Media

Tamika Jones and Alapeta Ngauamo are in line for their Wallaroos debuts after being named among four Western Force players in the 30-player squad for upcoming Tests next month.

The Wallaroos will take on Fijiana in Sydney next Saturday from 2:45pm WST, followed by New Zealand in Brisbane on Sunday 14 June from 12pm WST.

Back-rower Jones and prop Ngauamo are joined by Wallaroos regulars Trilleen Pomare and Michaela Leonard as the Force quartet within the squad.

Leonard will captain the side. Force half-back Samantha Wood is unavailable due to injury.

Joondalup and Wanneroo product Jones, 21, was earlier this year part of the Wallaroos' development squad prior to Tests against Canada, USA and New Zealand.

Jones’ call-up comes following an excellent 2024 Super W campaign where she started every game for the Force, having had an injury-ruined 2023 following a broken leg.

Ngauamo was called into this Wallaroos’ training squad for last week’s camp in Canberra, with that wider group shaved down from 38 players to 30 for the upcoming games.

The 24-year-old front-rower’s inclusion comes after a strong debut season in the west, making six appearances including five starts with one try.

The extended squad of 38 competed in an intrasquad match in Canberra on Saturday as part of the selection process with the side to return to Sydney on Sunday.

Wallaroos ead coach Jo Yapp said: "We’ve had a really good few days at the AIS in Canberra preparing for the next two Test matches.

"The players have taken a noticeable step up over the last few weeks and our intrasquad match on Saturday was a great opportunity to prepare and play at Test match level.

"The camp and game has given opportunities for new faces to join the squad and it’s important for us to keep building together with the World Cup just over 12 months away."

Both games will be live streamed on Stan Sport. Tickets available via Ticketek.

Upcoming Tests

Wallaroos v Fiji, Saturday 6 July 2:45pm AWST, Allianz Stadium, Sydney

Wallaroos v New Zealand, Sunday 14 July 12pm AWST, Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane

2024 Wallaroos squad – July Tests

Lori Cramer (Queensland Reds) – 21 caps

Biola Dawa* (ACT Brumbies) – uncapped

Piper Duck (NSW Waratahs) – 13 caps

Georgina Friedrichs (NSW Waratahs) – 22 caps

Caitlyn Halse (NSW Waratahs) – 2 caps

Brianna Hoy (NSW Waratahs) – 6 caps

Tamika Jones* (Western Force) – uncapped

Eva Karpani (NSW Waratahs) – 24 caps

Lydia Kavoa* (ACT Brumbies) – uncapped

Atasi Lafai (NSW Waratahs) – 12 caps

Kaitlan Leaney (NSW Waratahs) – 18 caps

Michaela Leonard (c) (Western Force) – 25 caps

Ashley Marsters (Melbourne Rebels) – 28 caps

Arabella McKenzie (NSW Waratahs) – 24 caps

Desiree Miller (NSW Waratahs) – 5 caps

Faitala Moleka (ACT Brumbies) – 9 caps

Tiarna Molloy (Queensland Reds) – 1 cap

Layne Morgan (NSW Waratahs) – 22 caps

Tania Naden (ACT Brumbies) – 13 caps

Leilani Nathan (NSW Waratahs) – 5 caps

Alapeta Ngauamo* (Western Force) – uncapped

Bridie O'Gorman (NSW Waratahs) – 20 caps

Siokapesi Palu (ACT Brumbies) – 9 caps

Trilleen Pomare (Western Force) – 27 caps

Madison Schuck (Queensland Reds) – 7 caps

Allana Sikimeti* (ACT Brumbies) – uncapped

Cecilia Smith (Queensland Reds) – 13 caps

Maya Stewart (NSW Waratahs) – 11 caps

Tabua Tuinakauvadra (ACT Brumbies) – 6 caps

Natalie Wright* (Queensland Reds) - uncapped

*denotes potential debutant

[Burgs]

'Like a Test match': Wallaroos primed for Fiji after internal trial

Mon, Jul 1, 2024, 2:30 PM
by Lachlan Grey and Nathan Williamson

Last week's internal trial match might just be the catalyst for a breakthrough Wallaroos win in 2024.

That's the view of coach Jo Yapp, who believes her squad has come along in leaps and bounds following an intensive training camp that culminated in Saturday's Possibles v Probables hit-out.

Wallaroos teammates went hammer and tongs at the Australian Institute of Sport in their bid to earn selection in the July Test series against Fiji and New Zealand.

Yapp says it's just the preparation needed ahead of a physical battle with Fijiana this weekend.

"We looked at the GPS numbers and it was like a Test match hit-out for the players," Yapp told reporters at the Wallabies x Wallaroos Fan Day in Sydney.

"Obviously having not played for a few weeks and Fiji coming in off the back of a couple of games, it was important we had that hit-out.

"It's a credit to the girls and it was such a good week. The girls really stepped up, there was massive competition for places and it shows that, as a group, we're moving forward in creating more depth."

Another 2024 debut looms in Saturday's double-header with uncapped Queenslander Nat Wright included as one of just two halfbacks in Yapp's revised 30-woman squad.

A former Australian Sevens squad member, Wright impressed with a try during the internal trial and is short odds to don the 21 jersey as Layne Morgan's replacement this weekend.

Force duo Tamika Jones and Alapeta Ngauamo have also been called into the national set-up and could earn their first cap this month while star utility Ash Marsters is a wildcard to return from an ankle injury sustained during the Pacific Four Series.

"(Ash) is doing really well. She's worked exceptionally hard with that injury and that rehab and she's in a good place as the moment," Yapp said.

"(Saturday's double header) is a great opportunity, isn't it, to get people along to the game and maybe a few who haven't watched the Wallaroos before … to come down early and get behind the girls as well."

Yapp is expected to name her Wallaroos matchday squad on Thursday July 4.

[Burgs]

Waratah-Drua rivalry adds extra spice to Fijiana Test

Tue, Jul 2, 2024, 12:52 PM
Nathan Williamson

The Wallaroos admit there's more pleasure in taking on the Fijiana this year after a wild Super Rugby W Final added spice to Saturday's Test match.

Jo Yapp's side will look for their first win of the season against a familiar opposition in Fiji in Sydney.

The majority of the Fiji national side comes from the Drua, who dominated Super Rugby W in their opening seasons.

During this time, they built a fierce rivalry with the NSW Waratahs, ending their unbeaten streak as they took out back-to-back titles.

The NSW Waratahs got revenge and ended their title run in April, with the Drua picking up four cards in the Final, including a late red for a stomp.

There are 13 Waratahs in the Wallaroos squad, including lock Kaitlan Leaney, who admits there's extra motivation and pleasure out of toppling the Fijians given their history.

“Losing against them in the past two Super Rugby W Grand Finals hurt and we’ve worked really hard as a squad this year to bounce back,” Leaney admits.

“That gives us a bit of confidence going into the Test match.”

The regular exposure to the Drua gives the Wallaroos a better idea of how to stop their expansive and fluid style of play.

With the best of both nations coming together, scrumhalf Layne Morgan believes it'll deliver a quality encounter in Sydney

“We love playing Fiji and we get to play them more often where it is always a battle in Super Rugby W so to get them on the world stage is even better," she notes.

“We’re getting the top of their crop and they’re getting the top of us so you put those teams together it’s always fan and there’s always a big heat when it comes to the games.

“I’m excited to take them on.”

“It gives us that bit of exposure playing against some of the Super players who will be similar going into the international series,” Leaney added.

“We know what their threats and who their key players are but it’s Fiji, you never know what they’re going to throw at you.”