North Sydney Oval is set to welcome a festival of rugby this weekend as the Wallaroos and Wallabies play matches in the Harbour City, with chaotic weather and rain set to play a major factor in proceedings.
However, the opportunity couldn’t be better for Emily Chancellor, with the Wallaroos preparing for wet weather rugby as they look to make up for last week’s loss to Wales.
Get your tickets now for the Wallaroos two-match series against Wales.
After a productive captain’s run at a windy North Sydney, the Wallaroos captain embraced the opportunity such a fixture provides for the side ahead of the World Cup.
“I feel like it's exactly the same conditions as we played in on Saturday last week,” Chancellor joked with reporters on Thursday.
“It's not something completely unfamiliar, but I think we adapted really well today in our captain's run for the conditions.
“I think the squad's feeling really positive. We did have a lot of reflection and internal conversation and I think we've come to a good place where we're pretty confident with a lot of what we did.
“We just need that execution piece to be a little bit better and that's playing to conditions and obviously Wales is quite familiar with a little bit more rain and a little bit more wind than we probably have been and maybe we were tricked into a false sense of security being on the Gold Coast for a nice sunny week of preparation.
“This week we've been well aware that it's going to rain for most of the time we're in Sydney and it has stuck true, so we're expecting a lot of rain and we want to play to the conditions really well and prove to the crowd and the supporters that we can play this kind of rugby as well as the fast, dry rugby that we have become a bit accustomed to.”
The match also comes as another opportunity for Chancellor to show her credentials as captain, with Piper Duck joining her in the loose forwards to tackle the Welsh.
“I'm pretty excited for a second stab,” the captain said.
“I think there's one thing to be in a leadership group and there's another to make the sort of game driving decisions and wearing a little bit more responsibility.
“I'm really ready to write a few little, I wouldn't say wrongs, but little moments that I could probably have improved better as a leader.
“I'm definitely excited and grateful for the opportunity to get to be captain again for week two - but it's not really about that. It's about us making sure that as a team we feel like we're doing what we know we can do really well, and that's play a really good brand of rugby.”
The quick turnaround has seemingly been a blessing for the Wallaroos, with the squad hungry to counteract the weapons Wales possesses.
“Your wounds are still open,” Chancellor explained. “You're still feeling the pain and you know it's not going to disappear in your mind before you have to suit up again to play. So, it's a great opportunity.
“Every picture that we had in training we talked about happened in the game. So, we're not unfamiliar with what they threw at us and we've definitely had an opportunity to reflect on that.
“I think it's something that we're still working on as we each input our voices. The beauty is in this team, everyone trusts each other. So, when someone makes a decision, we back it.
“There's always a lot of learning and a lot of support. We do have a lot of leaders, but we also need to all work as one and funnel it through the same channel.
“We're all trying to grow and be better leaders, and that comes from having that open dialogue. I spend so much time looking at game boards and decisions in the game with Ash Masters, for example, because her rugby IQ is one of the best in our team.
“Having that ability to have those conversations only makes us better.”
The match will also see the likes of Maya Stewart return to the starting side as one of the Wallaroos’ chief weapons, but will also serve as a home soil farewell to head coach Jo Yapp.
“We know what Maya Stewart can bring on the field, what she brings on the change rooms, what she brings on the off-field side as well,” Chancellor said.
“She's a hard worker and we know how physical she is. It's an emotional win for us to have her back on the park, and I think it's a really important one for her to play just in the lead-up to the World Cup so she knows that she's done all the hard work and she's back where she wants to be.
“[Jo Yapp]'s really people first, player second, which I think is really important. She's made everyone feel really safe that's in the squad and travelling with the group.
“She backs you to make a decision. She's not going to rouse you for making an error as long as you've had thought behind what you're trying to do.
“I think that's really important for making people feel like they can try things and can play their own brand of rugby, but still have that accountability piece to be team first and focused on what is best for the group, not just the individual."
