Sunday's humiliating 62-0 loss to the Black Ferns, while the worst the Wallaroos have suffered on home soil, will have come as no surprise for many given the state of the national team this year.
Beginning to show some green shoots at the end of 2023 where the side qualified for WXV1 and defeated France for the first time in 15-years, the Wallaroos appear to have gone backwards in 2024 despite the introduction of highly rated coach Jo Yapp.
Defeated in all three Pacific Four matches by Canada, the United States, and New Zealand respectively, the Wallaroos have already been relegated to WXV2 status for 2024 and are yet to qualify for the 2025 World Cup. But Sunday's loss has further highlighted just how big the gap between Australia and the top nations remains, and with top four aspirations, the global showpiece just over a year away, and a home World Cup in five years, Rugby Australia [RA] must act immediately to close the gap.
The first step must be to make the Wallaroos squad full-time athletes now. The growth and development of England and France over the last five years as well as New Zealand in the last two demonstrates how important having full-time athletes is to a national program. While England didn't lift the World Cup trophy in 2022, their incredible 30-match win streak came directly off the back of their full-time program and the strength of their national Premiership competition. Meanwhile, the Black Ferns have taken their game to another level since their program turned professional.
For several years RA has spoken of a full-time program by 2025 but as witnessed on the weekend next year is already too far away. A huge step was already taken earlier this year when RA increased tier one contracts from 15 to 23 players with Australia's best now able to earn up to $72,000 a year, but with up to 45 players in and out of the squad more needs to be done.
Next on the list must be a complete reworking of the Super Rugby Women's competition and linking with New Zealand's Super Rugby Aupiki. Developed six years ago and welcoming in Fijiana Drua three years ago, the competition has stagnated over the last two seasons, bringing in just two different champions and many more blowout results, including this year's final which saw the Waratahs win 50-14 over the Drua.
Combining both Aupiki and W has been spoken of as far back as 2022 with RA and New Zealand Rugby so far unable to reach an agreement. Several different formats have been raised, but the only way forward for the women's game is to replicate the men's Super Rugby Pacific competition and play a 10-team full two-round round robin competition including a full finals format. This would require expansion to five teams in New Zealand and the loss of one Australian team, retaining Drua.
Given the talent discrepancy between teams RA would be best to push open the doors to trans-Tasman talent sharing as well as the spread of Wallaroos talent amongst Australian sides. Imagine Black Ferns' Ruby Tui lining up in red for Queensland or Georgia Ponsonby running out for the Force. Already we've seen Amy Rule playing for the Brumbies and Australia's own Arabella McKenzie and Michaela Leonard plying their trade for Matatu. IP sharing and talent development will only benefit both nations.
A huge push must also be made by RA to bring back the many rugby players who made the change to NRL as well as bringing some of their talent to the game. RA has always opened the door for their best talent to try their hand at the 13-player game, with Caslick and Grace Hamilton two examples, but so much more talent has been leaked to NRLW including rising Wallaroos star Grace Kemp. Given the Super season will be over months before NRLW kicks off, talent sharing would help both codes, but first RA must make Super W an attractive product and that must include Aupiki.
This would also benefit New Zealand, who are also struggling to retain their talent given the size of the salaries NRLW is offering for some of their best talent.
In a major boost for the Wallaroos and RA though, a number of Australia's best rugby players from the women's sevens team have already revealed to Yapp their desire to join the side for next year's World Cup, including 'Sevens Queen' Charlotte Caslick, her teammates Teagan and Maddison Levi. as well as the return of stalwart Sharni Smale (nee Williams).
While as revealed by ESPN, previously it's ruffled a few feathers within the Wallaroos unit, there are several players within the squad that would benefit from working alongside some of Australia's best professional athletes, while competition for spots can only benefit the group.
This though is only a sugar hit and won't rectify the many problems the Wallaroos are facing now, including their problem positions in the tight five.
With next year's World Cup fast approaching, and a need to find and retain Australia's next best talent, RA has plenty it needs to get done now.