Wallaroos coach Jay Tregonning faces an unenviable task at the selection table ahead of Friday’s WXV1 clash with Wales.
Returning outside backs Maya Stewart (concussion) and Lori Cramer (knee) are available along with lock Annabelle Codey, who missed last week’s 29-20 win over France to suspension.
Watch every game of WXV1 LIVE on Stan Sport. Start watching Stan Sport now. Prop Bridie O’Gorman could also return after serving a two-match ban resulting from her red card against the Black Ferns in Hamilton last month.
The versatile Ashley Marsters is another option following her exclusion from the France Test while squad members Jay Huriwai, Tabua Tuinukaudrava and Trilleen Pomare are yet to feature in WXV1 and could be called upon to as finishers against the Welsh.
However Tregonning could just as easily reward the same 23 players that produced Australia’s biggest Test win since 2010 – and justifiably so.
Speaking to media on Monday, Wallaroos lock Sera Naiqama said competition for jerseys had been fierce throughout the campaign.
“We have the best players in the country here and we’re competing against each other every single day. What everyone saw under the roof last weekend is the result of what happens in training,” Naiqama said.
“We know that if we train really well, we train really hard and we demand the best out of each other, it’ll show for itself so the lead-up to that (France game) I can genuinely say was one of the best weeks we’ve ever had in terms of leaving the previous week’s performance behind us, setting our goals and working hard towards it.
“It wasn’t easy, it was a really tough week of training but it showed and we’re so proud of ourselves.”
Naiqama produced arguably her best performance in a gold jersey last week - 22 carries, 10 tackles, two lineout wins and a breakdown steal in just 62 minutes – and will likely reprise her locking partnership with captain Michaela Leonard against Wales.
However the 28-year-old is facing fierce competition with the likes of Codey and Atasi Lafai fighting for a locking berth while NSW duo Leilani Nathan and Kaitlan Leaney can also cover the second row.
“Any jersey for me is such a privilege but to earn a starting jersey, I knew I needed to deliver the goods and looking at the forward pack we had, I had so much belief in the girls around me,” Naiqama said of her performance against France.
“You always want to put your best foot forward to try and stay in that 23 and I felt as though I owed it to the girls who didn’t make the 23.
“I’m really proud of the performance I put out there but again that was complimented by what the team did.
“The fact that we were able to produce such a strong result is something that will forever stay with me. It’s genuinely one of my proudest moments in the jersey.”
Tregonning will announce his 23-player squad to media on Wednesday 1 November at 10:45 (AEDT).
