WHILE IRELAND LOOK set to wait another few weeks before officially announcing their 28-woman squad for next month’s World Cup, pool rivals Australia were the first to unveil their submission last week.
The Wallaroos have a smattering of Sevens stars in their ranks with Olympic gold medal-winning co-captains Sharni Williams and Shannon Parry joined by the lightning Mahalia Murphy who is still uncapped in the 15-a-side game.
Playmaker Ashleigh Hewson is the most experienced woman in the group with 15 Test caps. Paul Verell’s side will be Ireland’s first opponent when the tournament kicks off on 9 August.
Last night, New Zealand head coach Glenn Moore revealed his group to travel to Dublin on 1 August. The Black Ferns – who face Wales, Hong Kong and Canada in their pool matches in UCD – have no uncapped players and 12 with 15 or more caps, including the influential scrum-half Kendra Cocksedge.
Reigning world champions England have also confidently laid their cards on the table as they head to the tournament as Grand Slam champions and winners of the summer international series against New Zealand, Canada and Australia in New Zealand.
Head coach Simon Middleton has been able to name 15 of the squad that won the World Cup in France in 2014 and four women – Rachael Burford, Rochelle Clark, Tamara Taylor and Danielle Waterman – who will compete at the tournament for a fourth time.
“Our focus has always been on going to Ireland to win the Women’s Rugby World Cup,” says Middleton, who named Sarah Hunter as captain with brilliant centre Emily Scarratt vice captain.
“To do that we are going to have to give more than in any competition we’ve played over the past year.”
Australia squad for 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup (Pool C)
Forwards
Millie Boyle (ACT) 3
Chloe Butler (South Australia) 9
Cheyenne Campbell (Queensland) 12
Rebecca Clough (Western Australia), 13
Mollie Gray (Australian Services Rugby Union) 8
Grace Hamilton (Sydney) 4
Alisha Hewett (Australian Services Rugby Union) 12
Evelyn Horomia (Sydney) 2
Kiri Lingman (Queensland) 3
Hana Ngaha (Queensland) 4
Shannon Parry (Queensland) 10
Liz Patu (Queensland) 12
Emily Robinson (Sydney) 2
Hilisha Samoa (Queensland) 3
Alexandra Sulusi (Sydney) 3
Violeta Tupuola (ACT) 2
Backs
Katrina Barker (NSW Country) 5
Fenella Hake (Queensland) 3
Ashleigh Hewson (Sydney) 15
Nareta Marsters (Sydney) 4
Mahalia Murphy (Sydney) uncapped
Trilleen Pomare (Western Australia) uncapped
Sarah Riordan (Australian Services Rugby Union) 4
Kayla Sauvao (Sydney) 3
Huia Swanell (Western Australia), 2
Ashleigh Timoko (Western Australia), 1
Samantha Terherne (Queensland) 3
Sharni Williams (ACT) 14
New Zealand squad for 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup (Pool A)
Forwards
Adora Itunu (Auckland) – 11
Toka Natua (Waikato) 15
Aleisha Nelson (Auckland) – 23
Sosoli Talawadua (Waikato) – 3
Fiao’o Faamausili – captain (Auckland) – 47
Becky Wood (North Harbour) – 2
Charmaine Smith (North Harbour) – 11
Eloise Blackwell (Auckland) – 27
Charmaine McMenamin (Auckland) – 9
Les Ketu (Bay of Plenty) – 5
Linda Itunu (Auckland) – 33
Rawinia Everitt (Counties Manukau) – 22
Sarah Goss (Manawatu) – 5
Te-Kura Ngata-Aerengamate (Counties Manukau) – 15
Aroha Savage (Counties Manukau) – 23
Aotearoa (Katie) Mata’u (Counties Manukau) – 5
Backs
Stacey Waaka (Waikato) – 11
Kelly Brazier (Bay of Plenty) – 32
Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali (Counties Manukau) – 14
Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury) – 37
Kristina Sue (Manawatu) – 7
Hazel Tubic (Counties Manukau) – 10
Renee Wickliffe (Counties Manukau) – 27
Portia Woodman (Counties Manukau) – 11
Selica Winiata (Manawatu) – 27
Carla Hohepa (Waikato) 14
Theresa Fitzpatrick (Auckland) – 2
Chelsea Alley (Waikato) – 14
England squad for 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup (Pool B)
Forwards
Zoe Aldcroft (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks) 4
Sarah Bern (Bristol) 10
Rochelle Clark (Worcester Valkyries) 124
Amy Cokayne (Lichfield) 28
Vickii Cornborough (Harlequins) 25
Vicky Fleetwood (Saracens) 61
Sarah Hunter (Bristol) 93
Heather Kerr (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks) 8
Justine Lucas (Lichfield) 22
Alex Matthews (Richmond) 31
Harriet Millar-Mills (Lichfield) 46
Izzy Noel-Smith (Bristol) 31
Marlie Packer (Bristol) 47
Abbie Scott (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks) 17
Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks)105
Backs:
Rachael Burford (Harlequins) 67
Natasha Hunt (Lichfield) 37
Megan Jones (Bristol) 4
La Toya Mason (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks) 66
Katy Mclean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks) 85
Amber Reed (Bristol) 39
Leanne Riley (Harlequins) 10
Emily Scarratt (Lichfield) 69
Emily Scott (Saracens) 23
Lydia Thompson (Worcester Valkyries) 34
Danielle Waterman (Bristol) 70
Kay Wilson (Richmond) 44
Amy Wilson Hardy (Bristol) 7
(*number after name and club denotes international Test caps)
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