Wallaroos Captain Expects Forwards to Bounce Back Against USA
On May 10, 2024, in Sydney, Australia, Michaela Leonard, the captain of the Australian Wallaroos, posed with her teammates during a captain’s run at Sydney Grammar School. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Ahead of their crucial Pacific Four rugby clash against the USA in Melbourne, Wallaroos captain Michaela Leonard expects a strong reaction from her forward pack after they were dominated by Canada in their previous outing. The Australians suffered a 33-14 defeat last round in Sydney, with the Canadians scoring all five of their tries through their front row.
The Wallaroos will take on the winless Americans at AAMI Park on Friday afternoon, with the outcome determining which team qualifies for the top-tier WXV 1 competition in Canada in September and October. The losing side will be relegated to the WXV 2 league in South Africa.
“We’ve done really well this week to shore up a few of our areas around set piece, particularly the scrum and around our maul defence, and we want to make those weapons this week,” she said.
The return of 2023 Wallaroos player of the year Eva Karpani to the starting front row has the team excited, with Leonard expecting her to provide a significant boost in both attack and defense.
“Eva is a phenomenally physical player, and we saw that through WXV, her power, carrying balls, scoring tries, but also in defense as well,” the Western Force star commented.
Teenager Caitlyn Halse will make her Australian Test debut at fullback, becoming the youngest player, male or female, to represent the Wallaroos. Leonard praised the 17-year-old’s growth and development, stating that her composure and communication on the field have improved dramatically over the past year, making her a dangerous attacking threat.
For the USA, the return of captain Kate Zackary from injury at blindside flanker, and the inclusion of McKenzie Hawkins at fly-half after missing their loss to New Zealand, will provide a boost as they seek their first victory in the Pacific Four competition.
đź”— Source
