The Wallaroos have arrived in Newcastle and are set to play their first match in the Steel City since 2019, with Layne Morgan revealing the side is focusing on growth against the Black Ferns.
Nearly four thousand Novocastrians turned out in force for that historic clash against Japan, the 34-5 victory at No. 2 Sportsground the first time the Australian women's national rugby team had won on home soil.
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Incumbent Wallaroo scrumhalf Layne Morgan was in the crowd that day, and admitted the nostalgia of returning home has been palpable - especially given she has gone on to feature in 29 of the 33 Test matches that have been played since that 2019 fixture.
"Coming home was really nostalgic," Morgan told reporters on Monday.
"I think I was kind of on the border of 15s and 7s at that time, and it was something that really sparked the 15s for me and made me want to get into that sport.
"Seeing the opportunity that women had, especially in Newcastle, was really cool to see - the Australian team was playing here.
"It hit home when I got home, I've missed this place a lot."
This weekend, the Wallaroos are set for a major upgrade, swapping out No. 2 Sportsground for McDonald Jones Stadium for their clash against the Black Ferns.
Matching the upgrade has been the huge change in the Wallaroo program since 2019 - from professional contracts and full time coaches being introduced, to major results, including their victory over France in 2022 and winning the WXV 2 title in 2024.
Indeed, their win last weekend in Fiji marked the first time in their history the Wallaroos have won four matches in a row.
"It's definitely grown," Morgan admitted.
"You've seen a lot of monumental occasions like the France game - we hadn't beat France in a long time - and especially when they were at that level, quite professional and we were still in that semi-professional environment.
"It's awesome to see what women in rugby can do in Australia and I think it goes to show with that WXV2 result.
"It's showing that we are growing as a team. We are playing exciting footy and there's talent that needs to be shown and invested in in Australia."
Despite the momentum that is developing for the Wallaroos in the last few months under coach Jo Yapp, the side will have a tough assignment this weekend against the current World Cup champions.
In the 27 fixtures contested between the two sides as part of the Laurie O'Reilly Cup, the Australians have never tasted victory over their Trans-Tasman rivals, despite coming close on several occasions.
The last fixture between the two sides at Ballymore was a tough affair for the women in gold - and that also extended to the 2024 Pacific Four Series, which saw Australia finish with the wooden spoon.
However, with the side building significant momentum since July last year, Morgan admits the team feels ready to drive that momentum into a better performance against their rivals.
"Anytime you play New Zealand, it's such a big game for us," Morgan added.
"I definitely think that we're getting primed to beat them, and I definitely think we're going to put it to them.
"I'm going to back our team every time. I want to go out there and I want to win and I know there's so many girls that want to win against New Zealand too."
Their opening win over Fiji on the weekend came at a cost, with centre Bienne Terita suffering a hamstring injury, while try-scoring machine Maya Stewart is also set to spend time on the sidelines after aggravating her leg, however, it has been confirmed since that she has not suffered an ACL injury.
Morgan has revealed that Jo Yapp has aimed to keep the side grounded, but optimistic going into the clash - with more trials and experimentation expected before she settles on her final squad for the World Cup.
"This [Pacific Four Series], our biggest aim is growth - there's going to be a lot of different changes and trials, especially leading into a World Cup. You're going to see a lot of different styles of rugby.
"Being brave, that's our biggest challenge in defense.
"It's more than an 80 minute performance against New Zealand - they're a very fit side that take it all the way to the end.
"I think staying in the grind, being up in that first ten minutes to show them what we're made of - making sure that they don't dominate early on is really important, and that we show that we can be dominant in that area too and executing the opportunities when we get them."
Fortunately, if there was any place the side could pull a historic victory, Newcastle would seem appropriate - with other incumbent Wallaroo stars in Stewart, Kaitlan Leaney, Leilani and Nicole Nathan and Katrina Barker all making their way through the Hunter rugby program, as well as incumbent Wallabies like Nic White.
With the Wildfires also performing well in the Shute Shield and the Jack Scott Cup in 2025, more rugby stars may yet come out of the Steel City.
"There's so many talented athletes in the Hunter area, it's insane," Morgan added.
"I'm so lucky to be one of those girls. It's a pathway for girls that have been outside rurally to come in, train and access Sydney sporting teams.
"I was at the gym this morning in my Wildfires polo, I'm so excited to be a part of that club as well - they're doing great things for the area, providing such a good pathway for youth and for seniors.
"I think it's awesome to have such a strong rugby culture in Newcastle."
