Wallaroos flyhalf Arabella McKenzie has been left out of the squad to face Fiji, as sevens convert Charlotte Caslick ticks all the boxes ahead of a potential Test debut.
Coach Jo Yapp reduced the 40-player squad by 10 on Monday, ahead of the side’s Test against Fijiana on Saturday in Suva.
Olympic gold medallist Caslick was among those retained, but NSW Waratahs playmaker McKenzie was a notable omission.
Faitala Moleka, Lori Cramer and Tia Hinds, a sevens teammate of Caslick, will instead jostle for the No.10 jersey, while Caslick eyes a potential start at fullback or off the bench.
Charlotte Caslick. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Bienne Terita is the third sevens talent in the squad, an initiative that’s led to suggestions of disharmony as the program looks to bolster itself ahead of this year’s World Cup in England.
But veteran back-rower Emily Chancellor dismissed any notion of a rift, heaping praise on the “newcomers” after their impressive starts to the Canberra training camp.
“Often you get fear and nervousness, which comes out in looser rugby, or they go within their shells,” she said.
“But they’ve come in with a desire to be a part of it and felt involved.
“I’m blown away by their quality … taking on board the environment, being sponges to the 15s game.
“Charlotte has been so open and keen to learn, asking questions, making mistakes, changing the behaviours.
“All three of those sevens girls have really committed to being part of this squad and there isn’t any divide, nothing to be worried or talked about.
“They’re here to be 15s players and put their best foot forward, like everyone else.”
Chancellor said she hadn’t discussed McKenzie’s omission with Yapp but that, with seven Tests before their World Cup opener, it didn’t mean the door had been closed on her.
The Wallaroos finished 2024 in winning form in South Africa, but lost six of their first seven games of the year, including by 48 and 64 points to New Zealand.
Currently ranked No.6 in the world, the Australians have only reached the semi-finals once in seven World Cup campaigns.
“Often, if we’ve had time away from this international environment, it feels like we have to start again,” Chancellor said of the side’s intent to improve this year.
“This time there’s been conversation about how we’re starting where we left off.”
Katalina Amosa, Ruby Anderson, Ashley Fernandez, Martha Fua, Manu’a Moleka and Faliki Pohiva are the other uncapped players in the squad.
Star centre Georgina Friedrichs will have her run of 29 consecutive Test appearances ended by a finger injury suffered in the Super Rugby Women’s decider.
© AAP
