The Wallaroos have been plunged into the most challenging of Women’s Rugby World Cup draws, up against hosts and tournament favourites England in next year’s tournament.
As well as facing the highest-ranked side in the world, Australia’s resurgent women’s team, fresh from winning the WXV2 trophy in Cape Town last weekend, will have to face USA, who have already beaten them this year, and Samoa.
The Wallaroos have never beaten England’s ‘Red Roses’, who have become the dominant side in the game, while the USA defeated Australia 32-25 in Melbourne in May during the Pacific Four series.
After beating Canada for the WXV1 title at the weekend, England’s ranking has risen to a record high 97.56, emphasising the difficult task awaiting Australia coach Jo Yapp, a former England captain herself who played for them at three World Cups.
Australia climbed to fifth in Monday’s rankings on the back of their terrific win over Scotland in South Africa on Saturday, looking a resurgent force under Yapp’s guidance.
In the draw made on Thursday, Michaela Leonard’s side had wanted to avoid two-time champions England, who won the WXV1 crown last weekend, and inaugural champions USA, the world No.9 who were the top-ranked outfit among the ‘band three’ teams they could have drawn.
Only the top two teams from each group will get to the quarter-finals.
These fans 🤩#Wallaroos #WXV pic.twitter.com/LddTK6zGfc— Wallaroos (@WallaroosRugby) October 15, 2024
The Wallaroos celebrate after their WXV2 triumph in Cape Town.
America’s ‘Women’s Eagles’ are coached by Sione Fukofuka, who spent three years as assistant coach with Rugby Australia and the Wallaroos.
Australia have only met their other opponents Samoa once before, hammering them 87-0 in 2009.
Holders and six-times champs New Zealand have been pitched in a pool alongside Japan, Spain and Ireland, who beat the Black Ferns 29-27 recently in the shock of the WXV1 tournament.
The schedule of matches for the month-long tournament will be announced next Tuesday, but the first match will be at Sunderland next August with the hosts kicking off the tournament, possibly against Australia in what would be a blockbuster opener. WOMEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP DRAW
Pool A: England, Australia, USA, Samoa
Pool B: Canada, Scotland, Wales, Fiji
Pool C: New Zealand, Ireland, Japan, Spain
Pool D: France, Italy, South Africa, Brazil
#Wallaroos #drawn #England #Womens #Rugby #World #Cup
