Rugby Australia’s Director of Women’s High Performance Tim Walsh is excited by the promise shown by the Wallaroos over the course of the WXV Global Series, believing time with the group will prove critical as he turns his attention to finalising the professional program.
With incoming head coach Sione Fukofuka set to take the reins of the Wallaroos in 2027, Walsh led an interim coaching panel for the remaining six test matches of the 2026 season, giving him ample opportunity to be in the Wallaroos team environment after his time in Sevens.
Watch every second of the 2026 WXV Global Series live and on demand via Stan Sport.
“I think from doing my job, this has been front-row seats to the program and to the players. I think there's no better way to start it,” Walsh said in the post-match presser after his side’s 38-31 win over Scotland.
“I've got a lot of background in Sevens and know that program and those players very well, so to be able to really get involved and start to have an influence was really beneficial.
“Thanks to Pesi [Siokapesi Palu Sekona] and the other leads and all the players [for] being so engaging and very motivated towards where the program's going certainly helps.
“Together we've picked up a lot of valuable bits of planning, but also structure and type of play, and we're slowly putting things together for a huge future for the Wallaroos.”
“It's super exciting,” echoed Wallaroos captain Palu Sekona.
“I think from an approach as athletes, being professional, our mindset and our approach to our game and how we want to train has always been there. What changes is the environment and the resources that will support us as athletes.
“It'll be a new space for all of us to navigate. We don't know the details of it all, but we know that it's exciting and everything we've worked for.”
While the performance against Scotland wasn’t perfect, Walsh lauded his side’s ability to maintain composure, push through the Scots' challenges and the emotion of the occasion, and finding a way to win.
“The fashion in which we won [was] probably not the greatest,” Walsh conceded.
“But, to fight it out and to finish the season on a win, I've got to take that as a positive and move forward with that.
“The growth in the team was great; it wasn't just in one area, but aspects in attack and defence, and then pressure moments as well were coming through on the positive side.
“It was really pleasing to see that the transition from training and the mindset they were trying to achieve in the back end of the season. We managed to do it, which was great.
“The best teams in the game are the ones that can adapt quicker… It's a mindset piece. We were celebrating a few milestones; the adrenaline and the energy were there, just the execution piece wasn't.
“We know that the intent was just to go hard, and from a game management and a mindset piece, how can we find the balance of channelling that energy into good, positive work.”
With his work with the team complete, Walsh will now finalise the completion of the forthcoming integrated women’s program, which will see further cross-pollination between the Sevens and Wallaroos programs in a fully professional environment.
While current plans are for the full-time program to commence before Fukofuka enters the building in 2027, Walsh confirmed there are currently no plans for any Wallaroos players to take part in at least the first two legs of the 2026-27 HSBC SVNS World Series.
“Not in the months ahead, no,” Walsh said.
“We've got a benchmark event both in Sevens and Fifteens, so it's maximising talent and time on task for those events.”
With such a momentous evening celebrating Eva Karpani’s 50th cap and the retirements of Emily Chancellor and Cecilia Smith, both coach and captain took time to acknowledge their achievements now that the 2026 season has come to a close.
“I think they've been sitting on it for a while,” Walsh said.
“They've had tremendous careers and the time's right. It was great to get the win tonight for them too… in pre-match, I said, don't be sad because it's the end, be grateful that it happened.
“Then, I think I got cut off by Mac Leonard, and she was like, that's Winnie the Pooh! He's very wise. That's the approach: be happy, and that’s what we’ll be in the dressing room.”
“I'll definitely make sure that we get around those girls,” Palu Sekona echoed.
“We want to be in the moment, embrace it. We touched on it throughout the week. They had their last Test match Tuesday, their last jersey preso, their last warm-up, their last time in a jersey. They're going to feel that emotion, and I know it goes far beyond that.
“It affects us as players. We don't see them again; the 23 that took the field today, that combo will never come again. Even just the moments and the impacts that they have on their family.
“There are moments that they'll cherish, but we'll try and be present and embrace everything.”
