'Crazy': Kiwi star plucked to pull strings for Australia

1 year ago 109

Wallaroos playmaker Carys Dallinger volition marque an "emotional" Test commencement against the world champion Black Ferns successful Thursday's (7pm AEST) O'Reilly Cup opener successful Brisbane.

Dallinger was calved and raised successful New Zealand but is eligible to correspond Australia done her begetter Steve.

The 23-year-old played for the Hurricanes this play earlier taking up an connection to play for the Reds successful Super W.

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Carys Dallinger successful enactment for the Hurricanes successful 2022 successful Hamilton. (Getty)

Dallinger instantly impressed successful guiding Queensland to the last and the Wallaroos came knocking.

"It's benignant of crazy," Dallinger told reporters erstwhile archetypal picked successful the squad successful May.

"Dad was calved present and past they moved to New Zealand and past my grandparents had different kid implicit successful New Zealand. He lived present precise concisely and we've each grown up successful New Zealand. It was luck of the gully I guess.

Carys Dallinger kicks during her Wallaroos debut against Fiji. (Getty)

"The achromatic jersey was the extremity evidently increasing up successful New Zealand but astatine the extremity of the day, planetary rugby is wherever I request to be, it doesn't substance where.

"I've travel successful and felt truly connected. The girls and the coaches person made maine consciousness astatine home. I've truly recovered a location here."

Dallinger made her Test debut successful the 22-5 triumph implicit Fiji successful Sydney successful May.

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The Wallaroos are yet to grounds a triumph implicit New Zealand successful 23 attempts.

"When I bash deliberation astir it I get rather affectional due to the fact that those are my friends and radical I've grown up playing alongside," Dallinger said.

"It'll beryllium rather antithetic but I deliberation you've got to play the champion to beryllium the champion truthful it'll beryllium an acquisition successful itself...

Carys Dallinger of the Reds celebrates kicking the winning penalty. (Getty)

"Quade Cooper is 1 of my favourite players, adjacent earlier each of this worldly came about.

"I emotion Quade Cooper, some being 10s and some doing the aforesaid stuff. Love his sidestep, emotion everything astir him. I watched him increasing up. He's awesome."

Wallaroos fastener Michaela Leonard volition skipper her archetypal Test arsenic skipper Piper Duck continues to retrieve from injury.

Fluhler scores scintillating Black Ferns try

The Black Ferns person named six uncapped players, including prop Kate Henwood and wingers Katelyn Vahaakolo and Mererangi Paul successful the starting lineup.

Vahaakolo is simply a erstwhile New Zealand league international.

WALLAROOS (15-1): Faitala Moleka, Maya Stewart, Georgina Friedrichs, Cecilia Smith, Ivania Wong, Carys Dallinger, Layne Morgan, Grace Hamilton, Ashley Masters, Kaitlan Leaney, Annabelle Codey, Michaela Leonard (c), Eva Karpani, Tania Naden, Bree-Anna Cheatham

Reserves: Madison Schuck, Emily Robinson, Bridie O'Gorman, Sera Naiqama, Emily Chancellor, Jasmin Huriwai, Arabella McKenzie, Alana Elisaia

BLACK FERNS (15-1): Renee Holmes, Mererangi Paul, Amy du Plessis, Sylvia Brunt, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Ruahei Demant (co-c), Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, Kennedy Simon (co-c), Alana Bremner, Chelsea Bremner, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Tanya Kalounivale, Georgia Ponsonby, Kate Henwood

Reserves: Luka Connor, Krystal Murray, Amy Rule, Joanah Ngan-Woo, Kendra Reynolds, Iritana Hohaia, Rosie Kelly, Tenika Willison

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