‘Nothing changes’: Wallaroos staying focused ahead of massive England match

Mon, Sep 1, 2025, 9:00 PM
Nathan Williamson
by Nathan Williamson

Wallaroos back-rower Piper Duck believes the team needs to keep its focus internal and avoid worrying about the permutations if it is to advance to the quarter-finals.

The Australians control their knockout stage destiny as they travel to Brighton on Monday following a 31-all draw with the USA.

Watch the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup live and on-demand via Stan Sport.

To advance, they must either beat world number one England or ensure the Americans don’t make up the 135-point difference, who will play struggling Samoa earlier in the day.

“Nothing changes how we approach it,” former skipper Duck said to the media.

“…It's always easy to say you got unlucky, but no. At the end of the day we control our fate and we control the results. 

“There's some things [that] didn't go our way. So it's back to the drawing board against England and looking to control our entry to the quarterfinals, and how are we going to make that happen?”

The Wallaroos led by nine points at two separate times in the game before the USA's fightback forced them to dig deep to keep their tournament alive.

It took a late Eva Karpani try to level the scores, leaving a weird feeling in the camp.

“I feel pretty neutral. When you don't get that win, it's easier to say it feels like a loss,” Duck admits.

It was a tough game. At times we held the momentum; at times they held, but I'm really happy it was such a compelling game for the fans because that is important. 

“We want to put on an amazing brand of rugby. It's disappointing not to get the win. It's one of those weird emotions, right? You get a tie, and you're like, okay, how do I feel? 

“We go back to the drawing board, reflect, we take a lot from it.”

A full crowd is expected in Brighton for the clash against the hosts, coming off the back of sellouts in Salford and York for the Australians.

“It was amazing, absolutely incredible I'm very lucky for it to be my second (World Cup) and reflecting on my first this one, you can't even compare it,” Duck added on the crowds. 

“I'm talking to people out there and 50% aren’t even from the UK. They've flown in from America, from Australia. I'm looking at the crowd seeing familiar faces..For this to be for female rugby, for a game I'm playing in, to walk out, sing my anthem, and look around and it's a full stadium, that’s amazing.”

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