Ruthven: We’ve players to take on Drua

Veteran back-rower Piper Duck is set to earn her 25th Super W cap in Saturday’s opener against the McDonald’s Fijian Drua.

Wallaroo Duck, 25, made her debut in 2020 against the Rebels and became the team’s youngest-ever captain in 2023 at the age of just 22, guiding the side to title wins in both 2024 and 2025.

She is joined in the starting line-up by two debutants, the half-back combination of Piper Simons and Pleuni Kievit. The pair were ever-present thus far throughout the pre-season campaign, featuring in the 27-27 draw against this weekend’s opposition in Suva and last Saturday’s 42-18 win against the Brumbies at GIO Stadium.

On the bench there are a further four possible debutants in the shape of Grace Gillies, Taj Heald, Edie Burke and Lusiana Vesikula.

Waratahs Women’s head coach Michael Ruthven was pleased with the strength of his squad for Round 1 and praised all the debutants for their work in pre-season.

“We are expecting a really tough challenge from the Fijian Drua and believe this group of players are the best to take that on,” he told Waratahs Media.

“We are really excited for our debutants who have all earnt the opportunity to be a part of the squad for this opening round.”

There is a change in the front-row, with Brianna Hoy selected at loosehead prop in all-Wallaroo front-row alongside Adiana Talakai and Bridie O’Gorman.

In the second-row, Leilani Nathan is named at lock for her first competitive game in 428 days, after succumbing to a knee injury in last year’s 54-17 semi-final win over the Western Force in Perth. She partners vice-captain Kaitlan Leaney in the second-row.

Emily Chancellor is named at openside, on the opposite flank of Duck, who she replaced as captain in the off-season. Nicole Nathan, twin sister of Leilani, takes her place at number eight.

The same backline from last weekend will take to the field on Saturday, including the two new caps in the halves in Simons and Kievit. Simons, 20, made her Wallaroos debut against Fijiana in March after transitioning from Australia Sevens, where she first appeared in Dubai in 2024 and played in seven events that year.