Twenty-three players will make history in the inaugural Australia NextGen Under 21s clash against New Zealand in Christchurch on Saturday but off the field development is also happening within the coaching ranks.
The Australian NextGen coaching group and support staff is all-female for the inaugural fixture led by Head Coach Iliseva Batibasaga.
Batibasaga, who played 26 Tests for the Wallaroos, is assisted by former Wallaroos captain Shannon Parry and retired prop Alapeta Ngauamo.
The support staff includes team manager Erin Morton, physiotherapist Siobhan Shirlaw and former England international Fran Matthews, who is the strength and conditioning coach.
General Manager of Women’s Rugby Jilly Collins said there was a particular focus on helping develop female rugby coaches in Australia.
“We need it to be completely normal for women to be top-level coaches in rugby, not an exception to the rule,” Collins said.
“That means providing the right support structure and genuine opportunities to succeed.
“In Ili, Shannon, and Alapeta, we have three exceptionally capable and smart coaches who bring immense credibility from their playing careers.
“They are the ideal coaching group to lead this Australia NextGen squad. Their strong connection to the playing group and deep understanding of the pathway make them authentic, relatable role models for the next generation coming through.”
Faitala Moleka, who became the youngest-ever Wallaroos player of the year at Rugby Australia’s awards night on Thursday, walked into the Under 21s environment this week noticing an immediate difference.
After spending months on tour with the Wallaroos in a predominantly male coaching set-up, she recognised the positive steps in allowing more women the same opportunities.
“Allana Sikimeti and I were actually talking about it at lunch, we looked up at the staff table and noticed it was all women and said how cool it was,” Moleka said.
“Knowing our coaches were former Wallaroos players and have that experience of being in our position before and the knowledge to pass down to the next generation is great.
“I’ve had the privilege of playing with all three of the coaches at some point and what they’re doing in this space is really exciting.
“The girls are listening and responding to them and it allows us to respond in a more comfortable way. It’s such a safe space for all these young girls.”
The inaugural U21 clash between Australia NextGen and New Zealand will kick off tomorrow from 2:30pm AEDT - live and on demand on Stan Sport.
