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The 'Wallaroos' look for winning return
ARU/IRB
Australia's women will be looking to step out of the international wilderness in style in Canada next month when the IRB Women's Rugby World Cup gets under way in Edmonton.
The 'Wallaroos' have not played an international match since the 2002 Women's Rugby World Cup in Spain as funding for the national team was cut after playing numbers dropped below 1000. However, numbers have since soared to over 2000 mark, and as part of the ARU's development plan for Women's Rugby, international matches will become a regular fixture as from next year.
A 56-strong training squad has been selected ahead of the Women's Rugby World Cup, and the majority of players are currently competing in the National Women's Championship in Sydney, and will be looking to impress the selectors as the competition doubles as a trial for international selection.
Nine players from the 2002 Wallaroos, who finished fifth at the last Women's Rugby World Cup remain in contention for a place in the final squad, which will be reduced to 26 players next week.
However, despite the lack of recent international competition, National coach Steve Hamson is optimistic that his side will fair well in Edmonton against the likes of world champions New Zealand and England, who currently lead the way in the Women's Game.
"The club competition here in the major centres is good, and in our mix we've got a lot of players who went to the last World Cup. "
"And we think that our technical and fitness programs we've put them through in the last 12 months will stand us in very good stead."
The teams that are playing in the National Women's Championship at Macquarie University are: Sydney, NSW Country, Queensland, ACT, Victoria, South Australia and a National Indigenous team.