Teenager Waiaria Ellis has been given the chance to push her case for a World Cup call-up after being named in the Wallaroos’ 32-player squad for upcoming Tests against New Zealand and Wales.
Seventeen-year-old Waratahs fullback Ellis and Queensland Reds winger Caitlin Urwin were the only two uncapped players to feature in the Wallaroos’ squad.
Their inclusion follows strong displays for Australia A in last Saturday’s 50-22 victory over Samoa in Canberra.
Ellis toured with the Wallaroos in South Africa last year but was unable to earn a Test cap, while Urwin joins the national squad for the first time.
Western Force star Samantha Wood and Waratahs quartet Annabelle Codey, Piper Duck, Brianna Hoy and Maya Stewart have also been included in the Wallaroos’ squad following the recent Pacific Four series.
Wood, Duck, Hoy and Stewart all return from injury in a boost ahead of the Rugby World Cup in England, which starts in August.
Codey earns a recall to the Wallaroos squad for the first time since 2023, while Siokapesi Palu will continue to captain the side with Emily Chancellor as her vice-captain.
The Wallaroos take on the Black Ferns in Wellington on July 12 for their second O’Reilly Cup clash of the year.
They will host Wales on July 26 in Brisbane and August 1 at North Sydney Oval.
A squad of 32 will be selected for the World Cup following the clash at North Sydney before the Wallaroos depart for the United Kingdom on August 11.
The Wallaroos’ first World Cup match is against Samoa on August 23 in Manchester.
Wallaroos squad: Katalina Amosa, Bree-Anna Browne, Charlotte Caslick, Emily Chancellor, Annabelle Codey, Lori Cramer, Piper Duck, Waiaria Ellis, Ashley Fernandez, Caitlyn Halse, Georgina Friedrichs, Tia Hinds, Brianna Hoy, Asoiva Karpani, Lydia Kavoa, Kaitlan Leaney, Michaela Leonard, Ashley Marsters, Desiree Miller, Faitala Moleka, Layne Morgan, Tania Naden, Bridie O’Gorman, Siokapesi Palu, Faliki Pohiva, Trilleen Pomare, Cecilia Smith, Maya Stewart, Adiana Talakai, Tabua Tuinakauvadra, Caitlin Urwin, Samantha Wood
AAP
