From economy to equality: Wallaroos take off for World Cup

3 months ago 16

The Wallaroos will fly business class to the 2025 World Cup for the first time, marking a significant milestone two years after the players publicly criticised Rugby Australia for second-rate treatment.

The squad collectively penned a social media post highlighting a lack of support, including flying economy and the absence of a full-time coach, in comparison to the Wallabies.

Former England international Jo Yapp was appointed as the Wallaroos’ first full-time coach in February 2024 and believes that improved travel conditions are essential to help her 32-player squad compete in a tough pool that includes England, the United States and Samoa.

“Going business class has huge performance implications, because it allows us to hit the ground running earlier when we arrive,” Yapp said.

“But also how it makes the players feel from a mental and a value perspective, I think that also has a massive impact, which is no more than they deserve.

“They’re going to a World Cup, and they’ve been training exceptionally hard, so feeling valued is also a massive thing.”

Emily Chancellor captained the Wallaroos in Friday’s 36-5 win over Wales at North Sydney Oval and is proud of the journey the team has been on since she joined the squad a decade ago.

“It’s a huge statement from Rugby Australia and World Rugby to invest in us and I think for the Kiwi girls to also fly business class because of the length of the trip, and I hope it’s going to have a really great positive impact on the players’ feeling of worth but also on performance,” Chancellor said.

“I’ve been part of the Wallaroos program since 2015 and we got Rugby Australia polos [shirts] that had the under-20s men’s academy on it, and I was over the moon to receive something like that ...

“We’ve got full-time coaches now, we’ve got girls almost on full-time salaries just to play rugby, and we’re obviously still pushing for a lot more, and we’re not going to sit and be happy exactly with where we are because there’s still a long way to go ... ”

Wallaroos Coach Jo Yapp (centre) poses for a photo with squad members Brianna Hoy, Piper Duck, Siokapesi Palu, Emily Chancellor, Katalina Amosa, Cecilia Smith and Kaitlan Leaney during the Wallaroos World Cup squad announcement.

The Wallaroos will play Samoa on August 23, followed by an all-important clash against the US on August 31 (AEST) and tournament hosts England on September 6.

There are 17 players in the squad that played in the last World Cup in New Zealand and new faces that include teenagers Waiaria Ellis (17) and Caitlyn Halse (18).

Injured sevens star Charlotte Caslick is also named in the squad and is expected to be available to play in the tournament.