Australia Women’s coach Steve Hamson has named the 22 players who will play the New Zealand Black Ferns in two Tests at Viking Park in Canberra on 14 and 18 October – the first women’s rugby internationals to be played on Australian soil since 2001.

Six of those selected will be in line to make their Wallaroos debut – second row Dalena Dennison, prop Danielle Meskell, centres Sharni Williams and Melissa Rowe, hooker Margaret Watson and wing Nicole Beck – while several others were involved in the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2006 in Canada.

Scrum halves Ili Batisbasaga and captain Cheryl Soon, wing Ruan Sims, full back Tricia Brown and flankers Selena Tranter and Alex Hargreaves helped the Wallaroos finish seventh at that event and were also part of the Australian Sevens squad who recently qualified Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009.

The first Australian Women’s Sevens side won the Oceania regional qualifier in Samoa last month to qualify for the first Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens competition, beating New Zealand twice – a fact which is proving beneficial to preparations for the Wallaroos squad.

Heading in the right direction

“The nine girls that have come back to us from the Sevens programme are not only in top physical condition, but they also have a strong belief they can match it with New Zealand,” Hamson said. “This has filtered throughout the squad and with a young average age of only 23 we are certainly heading in the right direction.”

Australia will be attempting to record a first victory over the world champions when the Black Ferns travel across the Tasman for the first time since 1998 to defend the Laurie O’Reilly Memorial Trophy they claimed with a 2-0 series victory over the Wallaroos last October after 21-10 and 29-12 victories.

This double header with the Black Ferns may be the immediate target for Hamson and the Wallaroos, but building towards the next Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2010 is also key with this youthful squad.

“We’re now at a stage where we need to build this squad’s match experience before the World Cup qualifiers next year and the ultimately the World Cup itself [in 2010]. We have brought in some new players and the squad has a tremendous amount of potential and belief.

“Our backline has plenty of pace and the ability to penetrate defences, while our back row is arguably the finest we have ever had in women’s rugby.”

Australia Wallaroos squad:
Ili Batisbasaga#, Nicole Beck*#, Taliseta Bethell, Tricia Brown#, Dalena Dennison*, Alex Hargreaves#, Debby Hodgkinson#, Danielle Meskell*, Lindsay Morgan, Tui Orsmby#, Kylie Pennell, Silei Poluleuligaga, Kate Porter, Melissa Rowe*, See’I Sa’u, Ruan Sims#, Cheryl Soon (Captain)#, Selena Tranter#, Alana Thomas, Rebecca Trethowan, Margaret Watson*, Sharni Williams*.

* = Debutant / # = Australian Women’s Sevens team

Shadow squad: Faryaneh Hayati, Sarah Hind, Amanda Judd, Chris Ross, Saofaiga Saemo, Selene Thornton, Natalie Vardanega, Kim Wilson.