Australia desperate to 'close the gap' between Kiwi counterparts
SPOTLIGHT: Wallaroos captain Siokapesi Palu has called for Australia to play more women’s rugby games against top-tier nations as they attempt to close the gap on New Zealand.
Women’s international rugby is separated into three tiers, with Australia currently in tier two.
NZ are among the powerhouses in tier one, having been crowned champions in six of the past seven World Cups.
The Black Ferns hold an astounding 27-0 record against Australia in women’s rugby, with the most recent meeting resulting in a whopping 62-0 win in Brisbane last year.
Australia will get a fresh look at where they sit in the pecking order when they face NZ in their Pacific Four series opener at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Saturday.
Although Australia are a force when it comes to women’s Sevens rugby, there’s still much work to be done in the XV game.
Palu would like Australia to play more games against the likes of top-tier nations NZ, England, Canada and France.
“It’s always special [facing NZ] because we know they’re a quality side,” Palu said.
“But as we continue to grow the game, we need to make sure we play top-tier teams like them, so the more exposure and opportunities we have against them, the more likely of a chance we have of closing that gap.”
Australia warmed up for their Pacific Four campaign with a 43-7 win over Fijiana in Suva.
But the victory came at a cost, with outside backs Maya Stewart (knee) and Bienne Terita (hamstring) ruled out.
Stewart underwent knee surgery on Wednesday and could return in July, while Terita has also been ruled out of the Pacific Four series.
Fellow back Caitlyn Halse will be sidelined for at least a week after injuring her hamstring at training in Newcastle.
Wallaroos centre Georgina Friedrichs returns from a broken finger and will line up in the centres, while Sevens star Charlotte Caslick will start on the wing in Stewart’s place.
Caslick made her international XV debut off the bench against Fiji, and she’s hoping to play a key role in Australia’s World Cup campaign in England, which starts in August.
Other Sevens stars who have been dabbling in the XV game – Tegan and Maddison Levi, Bella Nasser, Kahli Henwood and Sariah Paki – won’t be available for the Pacific Four series following their recent participation in the LA Sevens.
Demi Hayes is also out after sustaining a knee injury.
NZ have named rising teenage star Braxton Sorensen-McGee at fullback for her international debut.
Prop Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, who underwent serious neck surgery last year, makes a return off the bench in her first Test since the World Cup in 2022.
