Teenage star Hodder in line to return to international stage with Australia A

Mon, Oct 28, 2019, 12:58 AM
AAP
by AAP
Courtney Hodder is set to travel with the Australia A team. Photo: RUGBY.com.au/Stuart Walmsley
Courtney Hodder is set to travel with the Australia A team. Photo: RUGBY.com.au/Stuart Walmsley

Teenage dynamo Courtney Hodder could make her first appearance on the senior international stage in next month's Oceania Rugby Championships.

Hodder scored six tries in a 2018 Super W match for Rugby WA but has been hampered by injuries since then.

The youngster has been named in an extended Australia A squad for the Oceania Rugby Championships in which Australia's women will compete for the first time.

While Australia's biggest names are missing, dual international Millie Boyle and a host of capped Wallaroos will be part of the squad in Lautoka in November.

Queensland Reds women's coach Moana Virtue will coach the side in Fiji with the Rebels' Alana Thomas as her assistant.

Wallaroos coach Dwayne Nestor said the competition would be the perfect chance for Australia's next level of rugby talent to have a taste of international rugby.

"This tournament gives us an excellent opportunity to expose more players to the wider Wallaroos program and show them the standard required to play Internationally," he said.

“2020 is a very important year for the Buildcorp Wallaroos as we put together the final building blocks for the 2021 Rugby World Cup.

“More game time is crucial to growing our depth and I am looking forward to this tour bringing out more players that can compete at Test level.”

The Oceania Rugby Championship kicks off on Monday November 18.

SQUAD

Australia A squad

Grace Kemp, Brumbies Women

Michaela Leonard, Brumbies Women

Remi Wilton, Brumbies Women

Samantha Wood, Brumbies Women

Piper Duck, NSW Waratahs Women

Kennedy Cherrington, NSW Waratahs Women

Courtney Frankl, NSW Waratahs Women

Fi Jones, NSW Waratahs Women

Asoiva (Eva) Karpani, NSW Waratahs Women

Atasi Lafai, NSW Waratahs Women

Lillyann Mason, NSW Waratahs Women

Arabella Mckenzie, NSW Waratahs Women

Sera Naiqama, NSW Waratahs Women

Tasmin Sheppard, NSW Waratahs Women

Maya Stewart, NSW Waratahs

Millie Boyle, Queensland Reds

Alana Elisaia, Queensland Reds

Toa (Dora) Filimoehala, Queensland Reds

Georgina Friedrichs, Queensland Reds

Courtney Hodder, Queensland Reds

Averyl Mitchell, Queensland Reds

Kirby Sefo, Queensland Reds

Christina Sekona, Queensland Reds

Zahara Temara, Queensland Reds

Georgia Cormick, Melbourne Rebels Women

Janita Kareta, Melbourne Rebels Women

Tiarah Minns, Melbourne Rebels Women

Titilia Yabaki, Melbourne Rebels Women

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