Defending Wallaroos Player of the Year Tabua Tuinakauvadra is relishing being back in camp as the number eight works her way back into full fitness in the coming weeks.
Tuinakauvadra has joined the team in the UK ahead of Saturday's clash with World Cup champions England in Manchester.
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The powerhouse backrower is looking towards the matches against France and Scotland as an ideal return point after a torrid run of injuries in 2026.
The Brumby tore the meniscus in her right knee at the start of the year, missing the Pacific Four series.
She'd eventually return for Super Rugby W, only for a return to club footy to lead to a low-grade MCL injury in her other knee.
"It's all just bad knees over here," she said and smiled.
"I had to re-jig a lot of the goals and things I wanted to achieve if I were to play the whole year, and that was a bit challenging [in terms of] accepting that I can't play as much rugby as I wanted to.
"It's been about staying in the moment, being present with what I have...being able to be around the girls and also focus on just rehabbing, I'm just happy to be in the squad."
The bubbly number eight has been an unsettled watcher on the sideline, eager to make up for lost time.
"It's been a pretty new year in terms of Pacific Four being at the start of the Anzac Day clash. That was pretty exciting, seeing that on the calendar," she said on what she's missed.
"I think just the opportunity to play and also coming off the back of last year, the opportunity to get better, I definitely wanted to have a good crack at just raising my own ceiling. I can still do that, it's just a matter of time bouncing back from the injury."
The Wallaroos have settled back in Manchester, their base at the start of last year's World Cup.
A full crowd is expected at CorpAcq Stadium, where the Australians produced a 73-0 win over Samoa, their largest in World Cup history.
