Australia V Samoa: Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 – Live

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Women’s rugby is connected nan emergence and pinch Australia primed to big nan 2029 Women’s RWC, Jack Snape believes nan athletics is connected nan cusp of thing special…

This World Cup kicked disconnected a fewer hours agone pinch England’s Red Roses ensuring nan big federation extended a lukewarm invited to nan USA. Both Australia and Samoa will person been watching this crippled intimately arsenic they stock a excavation pinch some sides.

SAMOA TEAM TO PLAY AUSTRALIA (1-15):

Ana Mamea, Avau Filimaua, Glory Aiono, Ana-Lise Sio, Demielle Onesemo-Tuilaepa, Sinead Ryder, Sui Pauaraisa (c), Utumalama Atonio, Ana Afuie, Harmony Vatau, Drenna Falaniko, Fa’asua Makisi, Keilamarita Pouri-Lane, Lutia Col Aumua, Karla Wright-Akeli

Replacements: Lulu Leuta, Denise Aiolupotea, Tori Iosefo, Jayjay Taylor, Madisen-Jade Jamie Iva, Christabelle Onosemo-Tuilaepa, Melina Grace Salale, Faalua Tugaga

WALLAROOS TEAM TO PLAY SAMOA

1. Faliki Pohiva (#219 - Blacktown Scorpions) – 4 caps
2. Katalina Amosa (#218 - Southern Districts) – 6 caps
3. Asoiva Karpani (#171 - Southern Suburbs) – 37 caps
4. Kaitlan Leaney (c) (#179 - SCU Marlins) – 31 caps
5. Michaela Leonard (#168 - Tuggeranong Vikings) – 38 caps
6. Piper Duck (#185 - Tumut Bullettes) – 18 caps
7. Emily Chancellor (c) (#158 - Sydney University) – 30 caps
8. Tabua Tuinakauvadra (#200 - Orange Emus) – 18 caps
9. Samantha Wood (#207 - Kalamunda Rugby) – 7 caps
10. Faitala Moleka (#199 - Blacktown Scorpions) – 22 caps
11. Desiree Miller (#204 - Eastern Suburbs) – 19 caps
12. Cecilia Smith (#190 - Leeton Dianas) – 24 caps
13. Georgina Friedrichs (#178 - Wests Bulldogs) – 34 caps
14. Maya Stewart (#196 - Nelson Bay Gropers) – 18 caps
15. Caitlyn Halse (#210 - Camden Rams) – 11 caps

Reserves

16. Adiana Talakai (#182 - Sydney University) – 18 caps
17. Brianna Hoy (#203 - Coffs Harbour Snappers) – 8 caps
18. Bridie O’Gorman (#180 - Sydney University) – 33 caps
19. Ashley Fernandez (#221 - Uni-North Owls) – 4 caps
20. Ashley Marsters (#117 - Boroondara) – 41 caps
21. Layne Morgan (#188 - Merewether Carlton) – 36 caps
22. Tia Hinds (#222 - Randwick) – 6 caps
23. Lori Cramer (#172 - University of Queensland) – 30 caps

The Wallaroos are boosted by nan return of prop Brianna Hoy who will travel disconnected nan chair successful her first crippled since rupturing her ACL during a training convention successful Ireland past September. Experienced brace Asoiva Karpani and Cecilia Smith return to nan starting line-up pinch nan second notching her 25th Test headdress since debuting successful 2022.

Veteran extracurricular backmost Lori Cramer besides comes into nan matchday 23 arsenic a inferior connected nan bench. Kaitlan Leaney will go nan 20th skipper of nan Wallaroos, joining back-rower Emily Chancellor successful sharing nan captaincy duties tonight.

Preamble

Angus Fontaine

Greetings sports fans! Welcome to nan Guardian’s unrecorded sum of nan Women’s Rugby World Cup excavation lucifer betwixt Australia and Samoa astatine Salford Stadium successful Manchester.

On paper, tonight’s lucifer is nan world No 6 against nan squad classed No 15 successful nan world. These 2 nations person met erstwhile successful a Test, measurement backmost successful 2010, and Australia racked up an 87-0 victory! But World Cups aren’t won connected insubstantial and that was past and this is now.

After smashing Wales astatine their past start, nan Wallaroos whitethorn commencement favourite tonight. But nan No 9-ranked Wales besides stole nan first Test of that bid from nan Wallaroos and Samoa person nan firepower to origin an upset coming and successful nan first information of a Rugby World Cup thing tin happen.

“We cognize Samoa will beryllium a tough, beingness broadside and we request to lucifer it pinch them,” coach Jo Yapp told media yesterday. “There are nary 2nd chances astatine a World Cup and for america it starts pinch a bully capacity successful our first lucifer and building from there.”

Indeed. Wallaroos coach Yapp has included 13 players pinch erstwhile World Cup acquisition for what are her last Tests astatine nan helm of Australia’s women’s rugby side. However, she has besides rolled nan dice connected younker pinch fullback Caitlyn Halse group to go nan youngest Australian to ever play astatine a Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Already nan youngest subordinate to ever debut for Australia, nan 18-year-old will eclipse nan erstwhile World Cup grounds group by Millie Boyle successful 2017 (19 years 82 days) erstwhile she runs retired tonight. In fact, Halse is among 10 Wallaroos players debuting astatine this World Cup.

Kick disconnected coming is 9pm AEST (11am GMT). We’ll beryllium backmost pinch nan teams shortly.