Wallaroos backrower Piper Duck is ready to let the rugby do the talking after Rugby Australia (RA) on Monday announced a landmark six-year sponsorship deal with confectionary company Cadbury.
The deal will take Cadbury through until the 2029 World Cup as the Principal Partner of the Wallaroos.
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Duck and the Wallaroos will head to May's Pacific Four Series with former England international Jo Yapp at the helm as the team's first-ever full-time coach.
With the investment growing in the game, Duck is eager for the side to embrace the pressure as a privilege after a much-publicity statement criticising the state of the women's game midway through 2023.
"(I'm) definitely feeling that they've listened. There's been such an increase in investment into the Wallaroos," Duck said on Monday.
"It's now time for us to really back up what we're putting down.
"We're absolutely stoked to show Rugby Australia and the world what we can achieve.
"The girls have so much pride in what they do. We are here to perform. We're here to play some good rugby."
RA has yet to write out a timeline on its aspirations for full-time women's players, but chief executive Phil Waugh has indicated the 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup in Australia could be a target.
They announced an additional $3 million of funding towards Women's Rugby for 2024, with Waugh eager to reap the benefits in time for the home World Cup, if not earlier.
"We saw the power of a home World Cup in another sport last year and going deep into the tournament," Waugh said on Monday.
"It's hard to put dates on those sorts of things (but) we know that you need to perform now and invest now to get the benefits in 2029."
Duck will lead the NSW Waratahs into a Super Rugby Women's grand final against the Fijian Drua on Sunday before heading off with the Wallaroos to take on Canada in their first Pacific Four Series match.
