Sydney captain Tui Ormsby – shown here with the 2013 ARU National Women’s Championship trophy won last month – is the most experienced Wallaroo in history

NSWRU Media Release –

Sydney women’s captain Tui Ormsby is set to compete in a remarkable fourth World Cup campaign after being named in the Wallaroos training squad for next years’ tournament in August in France. The most experienced Wallaroo in history, Ormsby made her debut against USA in 1997 and has already competed at the 1998, 2002 and 2010 World Cups and was also selected for the 2006 tournament but had to withdraw due to her commitments with the NSW Police Force.

Not far behind is Orange Emus’ flanker Rebecca Smyth who has her eyes fixed on her third tournament after featuring in the 2006 and 2010 World Cup squads before retiring to start a family. Returning to rugby this year following the birth of her two children, Smyth was voted the NSW Country Rugby Union Women’s Player of the Year for 2013 and will join an elite band comprising Ormsby and former Wallaby and NSW legends David Campese and Jason Little if she goes on to make World Cup number three .

Named alongside the experienced duo are a number of newcomers from varied backgrounds. Among the World Cup debutants is Rockdale’s 20-year-old Kenina Terita, who has made a meteoric rise after only taking up the 15-a-side game less than 12 months ago. Also selected in the squad to travel to France is Chloe Butler, better known for her Lingerie Football League career in the USA.

Rebecca Smyth, captain of the Westpac NSW Country Corellas, in action at the 2013 Australian Rugby Union Nations

Growing up in the Queensland outback, Butler initially started her path to become an athlete at the Australian Institute of Sport where she trained for the London Olympics as a hurdler. Following a stress fracture that forced her to withdraw, Butler turned to her trade to American Football. She returned to her beloved rugby union this year playing for Parramatta and Sydney.

Of the 15-strong NSW contingent, 13 players represented Sydney in the recent National Championships held in September, taking top honours after defeating Queensland in the Final, whilst two are included from NSW Country. The NSW contingent will take part in locally supervised group training sessions conducted by senior state-based coaches, before coming together as a national squad for the first camp in February.

Wallaroos Head Coach Paul Verrell said the 36-woman squad includes a healthy mix of youth and experience with nine returning players from the third-placed 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup team. “Last month’s National Women’s Championship provided a high standard and a great platform for selection. This level of play made the selection process challenging, but it’s a good problem to have.

“We identified a strong group of women, and I am looking forward to bringing them to our first camp early next year to prepare to challenge for the top spot in the International Series against New Zealand and Canada in May and June.

“We finished third in the last Rugby World Cup, so we’re looking to improve that position next year and the International Series will be a great opportunity for us to assess form and see what areas of our game we need to focus on to come home with the World Cup next August.”

The 2014 tournament will be the seventh Women’s World Cup in history. It’s popularity has grown enormously since its inception in 1991, with the rising interest in women’s rugby an important growth market for both the ARU and IRB.

“We believe Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 will inspire even more participation in one of the world’s fastest-growing team sports,” said IRB chief and Rugby World Cup Limited Chairman Bernard Lapasset.

“These are exciting times for women’s rugby and the Women’s Rugby World Cup is the premier event in the women’s game, providing the platform for growing the sport across the world.”

The draw for the 2014 Women’s World Cup will be announced on October 30th.

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Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 Wallaroos training squad:

Michelle Perry (Royals, ACT); Louise Burrows (Royals, ACT); Shellie Millward (Queanbeyan, ACT); Alisha Hewett (ASRU); Brooke Saunders (ASRU); Caroline Vakalahi (ASRU); Hayley Sullivan ( ASRU); Mollie Gray (ASRU); Margaret Watson (Newcastle University, NSW Country); Rebecca Smyth (Orange Emus, NSW Country)   ; Aimee Gilbert (Sunnybank, QLD); Delena Dennison (Redlands, QLD); Mel Kawa (University of Queensland, QLD); Asaka Ono (University of Queensland, QLD); Cheyenne Campbell (Redlands, QLD); Nareeta Masters (Sunnybank, QLD); Tricia Brown (University of Queensland, QLD); Catharina Prinsloo (Burnside, SA); Eva Karpani (Onkaparinga, SA); Tuainekore Ina Mata (Sydney University, SYD); Sarah Laman (Warringah, SYD) ; Victoria Latu (Parramatta, SYD); Ashleigh Hewson (Sydney University, SYD); Mahalia Murphy (Penrith, SYD); Chloe Butler (Parramatta, SYD); Danielle Meskell (Warringah, SYD); Emily Robinson (Warringah, SYD); Michelle Bailey (Sydney University, SYD); Simaima Taufa (Parramatta, SYD); Kenina Terita (Rockdale, SYD); Patricia Raikadroka (Parramatta, SYD); Tui Ormsby (Warringah, SYD); Oneata Schwalger (Melbourne Rugby Club, VIC); Ashley Marsters (Melbourne Rugby Club, VIC); Rebecca Clough (Cottesloe, WA); Madeline Putz (Kalamunda, WA)