The clash against the Wallaroos is set to be a fierce encounter.
Former Fijian Drua captain Bitila Tawake shares this sentiment as her team prepares for tonight’s Test match at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.
Making a comeback after a period of rehabilitation, the resilient prop expressed her excitement to return to the field. “It’s been tough watching from the sidelines,” Tawake admitted. “It tested my patience as I had to do my rehab properly. I had to trust the system.”
Tawake anticipates a challenging match. “We’ve played against most of these players in the Super W and now they are all put into one team,” she said.
Halfback Layne Morgan highlighted how her team is gearing up for the match, aiming to reverse their recent Test results against the Fijians. The Wallaroos have struggled this year with losses to Canada, USA, and New Zealand in their Pacific Four campaign. Nevertheless, Morgan believes this match is the perfect opportunity to showcase their progress under coach Yapp.
“We always have pride in ourselves and we know our capabilities. We know our rugby is going to get better and better the more we put into it, and you can see that every girl wants to strive for that and every girl is so passionate about the game,” Morgan said. “We do think we can win these games. We do believe in ourselves. It’s just unfortunately the ebbs and flows of rugby, the wins and losses, but I definitely think that we’ll come back out absolutely ready to smash Fiji.”
Morgan is eager to contribute to the growth of women’s rugby. “It’s so exciting to see that rugby is growing in the female arena,” she reflected. “When I was growing up, I didn’t even know what a Wallaroo was so to be able to show them that they have something to see and have someone to be is so important. By 2029, there’s going to be a huge boom in the sport but we’ve really got to start doing the work and helping the girls that are playing now so the future is better for the ones that are coming.”
With Morgan likely to secure the starting nine jersey against Fijiana, she will be a key player, especially given her experience and recent Super W victories over Fijian Drua with NSW.
Recognizing Fiji’s formidable form following their unbeaten Oceania Championships campaign, Morgan is preparing to adapt her game. “I think bringing in that kicking game is something that I don’t normally do throughout Super W, so that’s something that we’re looking to introduce into my game personally,” she told rugby.com.au. “And then just building on those little nine skills – having that run, pass, kick option – and having all three threats.”