Wallaroos reward champion Waratahs with sizeable selection for Pacific Four Series

More than a third of the Wallaroos squad for the upcoming Pacific Four Series will be made up of Waratahs players.

The Waratahs won this year's Super Rugby Women's competition, defeating the Fijian Drua in a 50-14 drubbing.

Led by newly-appointed head coach Jo Yapp, the 30-player squad will play Canada, the United States, and New Zealand.

Watch all the action from the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, with every match ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport

A total of 13 players from the Waratahs have been selected with eight from the Brumbies, four from Force, three from the Reds, and one from the Rebels.

Of the 30 players, 20 of them are from the O'Reilly Cup and WXV squads of last year.

Wallaroos lock and Force star Michaela Leonard has retained her place as the captain despite Piper Duck returning from injury, who was named the Wallaroos captain a year ago.

There are nine potential debutants including Allana Sikimeti, Sally Fuesaina, Lydia Kavoa, and Biola Dawa from the Brumbies, Western Force duo Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke and Samantha Wood, the Waratahs' Caitlyn Halse, the Reds' Shalom Sauaso, and Rebels player Tiarah Minns.

Emily Chancellor, Bree-Anna Cheatham, Jasmin Huriwai, and Adiana Talakai were unavailable for selection due to injury.

An additional 10 players will join the Wallaroos as part of a development squad that will join a camp before the first Test.

"The Super Rugby Women's competition has been really competitive and has given us a great opportunity to not only observe our managed group but up-and-coming players too," said Yapp.

"We feel the squad we have selected for the Pacific Four Series gives us a good mix of experience and youth. We are really looking forward to getting into camp and kick starting the competition against Canada."

Yapp said the addition of a development squad was an important step for the Wallaroos.

"We will also bring in 10 development players into the training squad for the first six days," she explained.

"It is important that we start to expose more players to that next level up. We won't know if they can take that step unless we give them the opportunity to do so."

The first Test against Canada takes place on May 11 at the Sydney Football Stadium.

The Wallaroos will host the USA at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on May 17.

Australia will head to New Zealand where they'll face the Black Ferns at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland on May 25.

2024 WALLAROOS PACIFIC FOUR SERIES SQUAD

Allana Sikimeti* (ACT Brumbies) – uncapped

Asoiva (Eva) Karpani (NSW Waratahs) – 21 caps

Brianna Hoy (NSW Waratahs) – 3 caps

Bridie O'Gorman (NSW Waratahs) – 17 caps

Sally Fuesaina* (ACT Brumbies) - uncapped

Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke* (Western Force) – uncapped

Tania Naden (ACT Brumbies) – 10 caps

Kaitlan Leaney (NSW Waratahs) – 15 caps

Michaela Leonard (c) (Western Force) – 22 caps

Tiarah Minns* (Melbourne Rebels) – uncapped

Ashley Marsters (Melbourne Rebels) – 26 caps

Atasi Lafai (NSW Waratahs) – 9 caps

Leilani Nathan (NSW Waratahs) – 2 caps

Lydia Kavoa* (ACT Brumbies) – uncapped

Siokapesi Palu (ACT Brumbies) – 6 caps

Piper Duck (NSW Waratahs) – 10 caps

Tabua Tuinakauvadra (ACT Brumbies) – 4 caps

Layne Morgan (NSW Waratahs) – 19 caps

Samantha Wood* (Western Force) – uncapped

Arabella McKenzie (NSW Waratahs) – 21 caps

Faitala Moleka (ACT Brumbies) – 6 caps

Cecilia Smith (Queensland Reds) – 12 caps

Georgina Friedrichs (NSW Waratahs) – 19 caps

Shalom Sauaso* (Queensland Reds) – uncapped

Trilleen Pomare (Western Force) – 24 caps

Biola Dawa* (ACT Brumbies) – uncapped

Desiree Miller (NSW Waratahs) – 2 caps

Maya Stewart (NSW Waratahs) – 8 caps

Caitlyn Halse* (NSW Waratahs) – uncapped

Lori Cramer (Queensland Reds) – 19 caps

* denotes debutant

WALLAROOS DEVELOPMENT SQUAD

Ashley Fernandez (ACT Brumbies)

Ashlea Bishop (ACT Brumbies)

Brittany Merlo (NSW Waratahs)

Janita Kareta (Queensland Reds)

Melanie Wilks (Queensland Reds)

Natalie Wright (Queensland Reds)

Skye Churchill (NSW Waratahs)

Tamika Jones (Western Force)

Tiarna Molloy (Queensland Reds)

Waiaria Ellis (NSW Waratahs)

PACIFIC FOUR SERIES SCHEDULE

Australia v Canada – Saturday May 11, Allianz Stadium, Sydney 4.55pm (AEST)

Australia v USA – Friday, May 17, AAMI Park, Melbourne 4.55pm (AEST)

Australia v New Zealand – Saturday, May 25, North Harbour Stadium, Auckland 12.05pm (AEST)