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What winning WXV 2 title would mean for Jo Yapp’s improving Wallaroos
By Finn Morton
Wallaroos captain Michaela Leonard has explained why it would mean so much for the women in gold to take out the WXV 2 title this weekend. It’s all to play for as Australia prepares to take on an also-undefeated Scotland side at Cape Town’s Athlone Stadium.
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Australia are one win away from securing the title after recording solid wins over Wales and hosts South Africa earlier in the competition. This is a team that’s been building all year under head coach Jo Yapp, and they seem to have hit their stride at the right time.
Following a first-ever defeat to Wales in their final Test before WXV 2, Australia took on the same foe to open their campaign at DHL Stadium. The Wallaroos had lost 31-24 to Wales on September 20 but bounced back seven days later with a 37-5 demolition.
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The Wallaroos had a sense of confidence about them as they prepared to take on the Springbok Women in the second round. South Africa’s men’s captain Siya Kolisi watched on as the visitors took control during the first half before claiming a confidence-building 33-26 win.
That’s set the scene for what could be a “pretty special” occasion. Following a winless run in the Pacific Four Series and some tough losses to the Black Ferns, the Wallaroos are in the box seat to wrap up their first season under coach Yapp with some silverware.
“In my time in the jersey since 2019 we probably haven’t been in this position where we’re really contending and really coming down to a crunch game to be able to hold silverware and to experience what that feels like,” Leonard told reporters.
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“For this group, it’s one, a bit of recognition of the hard work that we’ve all been putting in on the field, what the coaching staff have been putting in off the field, the programme development as a whole.
“But I think, yeah, a bit of recognition and confidence in what we’re doing on the field – the skills that we have, our ability to keep pushing to know, to know that we want to be higher than where we’re currently sitting in WXV 2.
“We want to chase for the top of WXV1 one, chase for the top of the World Cup standings.
“To come away with the silverware this weekend would be a big boost of confidence and I think that recognition that we’re doing the right stuff, we’re going the right way and we just need to keep striving the way that we are.”
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If it wasn’t clear going off those comments from Leonard, the Wallaroos are by no means getting ahead of themselves. They understand there’s an almighty challenge waiting for them on Sunday morning (AEDT) against another in-form side.
Scotland started their WXV 2 campaign with a 19-nil shutout win over Italy before backing that up with a victory over Japan. Iroha Nagata scored a try in the 66th minute for Japan to leave the game in the balance, but the Scots were just too good in the end.
“Coming off the back of two wins themselves so they’ll be feeling pretty confident and pretty sure in what they’re putting out on the field as well,” Leonard explained.
“We know they’re a really strong side set-piece wise, being a Northern Hemisphere team, Six Nations, they get a lot of that sort of rugby throughout the year.
“(We) know we’re going to have to sure up some of those areas, particularly around the scrum, from last week, and we expect a really physical game.
“Looking at what we’ve been doing well, definitely looking to continue our kick pressure, our connection and the high speed, high tempo game that we’re wanting to play.”
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