Five Tests on home soil as Wallaroos’ 2025 schedule revealed

Rugby Australia has announced the Wallaroos’ 2025 Test schedule ahead of the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup. Before the showpiece event in England, the Wallaroos will play seven Tests, with five of those matches to be played on home soil starting on May 10.

The Wallaroos will get their international campaign underway with a Test against Fijiana in Fiji on May 3 before World Rugby’s Pacific Four Series along the east coast of Australia. Newcastle’s MacDonald Jones Stadium will host a match against New Zealand on May 10.

That O’Reilly Cup clash between the Wallaroos and Black Ferns will be the first women’s international played in the Hunter since 2019. These two great rivals will meet in the reverse fixture at Wellington’s Sky Stadium on July 12.

But before that second Trans-Tasman Test across the ditch, Australia will host the USA and Canada to complete the Pac Four. The Wallaroos will travel to the nation’s capital of Canberra for the first time in 17 years for an intriguing clash with the USA at GIO Stadium.

This is a crucial challenge for both sides, as they’ll meet again during the pool stage at the Rugby World Cup. York Community Stadium will host Australia and the USA on Saturday, August 30, and that result could have major ramifications on the race for quarter-final qualification.

To round out their Pac Four campaign, the Aussies will take on world no. 2 Canada at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on May 23. Both matches against the USA and Canadians will be double-headers with Super Rugby Pacific fixtures.

After taking on the New Zealanders in Wellington, Australia’s three-week Test block continues with two matches against Wales. These two sides have enjoyed a brewing rivalry as of late, which included a Welsh victory earlier this year before the Aussies claimed revenge in WXV 2.

The first Test will be held in South East Queensland on July 26, while Sydney will host the second match on August 1, which is their final fixture before the Rugby World Cup. Venues and kick-off times will be confirmed by Rugby Australia in early 2025.

“The 2025 season is going to be a really exciting year for the Wallaroos,” head coach Jo Yapp said in a statement.

“The opportunity to play seven Test matches leading into the 2025 Rugby World Cup will provide a fantastic platform for us to continue to grow as a squad following our WXV 2 title win in Cape Town.

“Playing a Test match in Fiji before the Pacific Four Series allows us to build into that tournament and we welcome further Test matches against New Zealand and Wales throughout July before we travel to England.”

The Wallaroos finished their first season under coach Jo Yapp with a history-making triumph at WXV 2 in South Africa. Australia got the better of Wales 37-5 at DHL Stadium before outclassing tournament hosts South Africa 33-26 at Athlone Stadium.

Those results set the stage for a blockbuster in the third round of the competition, with the Aussies drawn against a then-undefeated Scotland side. The Scots have registered two wins up to that point, which made the Wallaroos clash a winner-takes-all event.

Desiree Miller and Maya Stewart were among the try-scorers for Australia as they recorded a 31-22 in Cape Town on October 12. Captain Michaela Leonard hoisted the WXV 2 trophy aloft that evening, which pointed towards the team’s exciting growth under coach Yapp in 2024.

“2024 has been a significant year for the Wallaroos,” General Manager of Women’s High Performance, Jaime Fernandez, added.

“We played the highest number of Tests in a calendar year, toured Ireland and Wales and won WXV 2 in South Africa, bringing home the first ever piece of silverware in the program’s history.

“The program also saw increased investment through direct player funding, increased assembly and camp time and increases in coaching and support staffing resources.

“We are excited by the opportunities 2025 presents. Five of the seven Tests will be played in Australia, providing a platform to showcase the women’s game to home crowds and readying the team for the largest Women’s Rugby World Cup in the sports history.

“We look forward with anticipation and excitement to what will unfold in 2025.”

Wallaroos’ 2025 Test schedule

• Saturday, May 3: Wallaroos v Fijiana, Fiji
• Saturday, May 10: Wallaroos v Black Ferns, McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle (Pacific Four Series)
• Saturday, May 17: Wallaroos v USA, GIO Stadium, Canberra (Pacific Four Series)
• Friday, May 23: Wallaroos v Canada, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (Pacific Four Series)
• Saturday, July 12: Wallaroos v Black Ferns, Sky Stadium, Wellington (O’Reilly Cup)
• Saturday, July 26: Wallaroos v Wales, South East Queensland
• Friday, August 1: Wallaroos v Wales, Sydney

Please note: Venues for Test matches against Fijiana and Wales, and kick-off times for all Test matches, will be confirmed in early 2025.

RUGBY WORLD CUP 2025

• Saturday, August 23: Wallaroos v Samoa, Salford Community Stadium, Manchester (9:00pm AEST)
• Sunday, August 31: Wallaroos v USA, York Community Stadium, York (4:30am AEST)
• Sunday, September 7: Wallaroos v England, Brighton and Hove Stadium, Brighton and Hove (2:00am AEST)