2026 Swyftx Super Rugby Women’s | RugbyPass' Team of the Season

The NSW Waratahs claimed a third Super Rugby Women’s title in a row with an emphatic 34-17 win over the Fijian Drua in Ba.

A first-ever Final held on the islands the stage was set for Drua success as 4,097 supporters lined the stands. But when the final curtain fell, it was the Waratahs’ day as a third consecutive league title made its way back to Sydney.

Wallaroos stalwarts Maya Steward and Desiree Miller both made their way over the whitewash at Four R Stadium, teenage starlet Amelia Whitaker dotted down twice in the final 20 minutes and Rosie Ferguson scored one try.

2026 may have been the most challenging Super Rugby Women’s season yet. Especially given the strong contingent of sevens players, both internationally and domestically through the NextGen Sevens, that have added to the competition, as well as an exciting new generation in Australia and Fiji.

Here’s RugbyPass’ Team of the Tournament. Let us know your views below…

15. Harmony Vatau (Queensland Reds)

Starting off with a bang, the Reds found plenty of harmony in their attack when Vatau found her paces. The Samoa international enjoyed a colossal season in the maroon jersey, beating a stunning 33 defenders, gaining 311 metres, and proving a lethal weapon in the back three that many defences struggled to stop.

14. Amelia Whitaker (NSW Waratahs)

NextGen sevens star Amelia Whitaker had some stiff competition for this spot, with Force winger Adi Vani Buleki and fellow countrywoman Kolora Lomani also vying for this spot. However, finishing with the joint second-highest number of tries in the competition, gaining 380 metres, the third highest in the competition, making eight breaks and beating 19 defenders, the 19-year-old signalled her arrival with a breakout season.

13. Merewairita Neivosa (Fijian Drua)

Even with the likes of Trilleen Pomare, Cecilia Smith and Georgina Friedrichs in competition, when Merewairita Neivosa started at outside centre their third round clash against the Brumbies, the Drua backline dynamic changed. While boasting a stunning offload game and making four clean breaks, it was her work off the ball and how she raised the team around her that has helped her earn this position.

12. Josivini Naihamu (Fijian Drua)

In just her second year, the 2026 season has been Josivini Naihamu’s year. Topping the try-scoring count [five] the metres gained rankings [508 metres], clean breaks [eight], as well as beating 32 defenders, making 53 carries and finishing as the fourth-highest point scorer, she has been the go to weapon in the centres across the tournament.

11. Desiree Miller (NSW Waratahs)

The soon-to-be 25-capped Waratah has enjoyed a strong season in 2026, filling roles both on the wing and at fullback, topping the points tally for the year [59 points] and making five clean breaks among her many impressive stats. However, her step up to vice captaincy and her work with the boot is what has pushed her into the side, her accuracy set to be a valuable weapon the Wallaroos can turn to in future.

10. Varanisese Qoro (Fijian Drua)

A lot of exciting fly-halves put their hands up for contention across the season, from Grace Freeman at the Force to Dutch international Pleuni Kievit. However, Varanisese Qoro has proven a lethal ten for the Drua, finishing the regular season with the third-highest points tally [38], three tries scored, an incredible 21 offloads and achieving the second-highest metres gained [408 metres] in the whole competition.

9. Samantha Wood (Western Force)

The competition for scrum half was one of the most hotly contest, from Piper Simons to Anne Fernández de Corres at the Brumbies, who claimed the Helen Taylor Award for Women’s Player of the Year in Canberra earlier this week. However, captaining the Western at just 22 has come naturally to 15-capped Wallaroo Samantha Wood, and finishing with the second-highest points tally [41 points] and her strong kicking boots sets her up as a Wallaroo to watch for 2029.

1. Brianna Hoy (NSW Waratahs)

A quiet achiever to finish off the team, Wallaroo Brianna Hoy bounced back from an opening match when the scrum was challenged by the Drua, starting every game bar one for the Waratahs. Putting in massive shifts across the season alongside Bridie O’Gorman, her efforts have played a big part in the defending champions turning their season around and making the final.

2. Tania Naden (ACT Brumbies)

The battle for hooker was arguably the most contested, with the likes of Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke and Fijian Drua’s veteran skipper Bitila Tawake all in contention. However, when it came to the lineout particularly, the Brumbies topped the count and accuracy, and Wallaroo Tania Naden played a major part in that across the season. Even when her side was beaten, her results at the lineout frequently kept the ACT side in touch.

3. Eva Karpani (Queensland Reds)

Eva Karpani continues to add to her growing scissor reel of insane barnstorming tries, her effort against the Drua at Ballymore one of the best tries of the season. With the Reds enjoying a success rate of 91.4 per cent across the scrum this season, a major part of that was due to the big shift Karpani put in, further solidifying her position as the starting tighthead for the national side.

4. Kaitlan Leaney (NSW Waratahs)

The 2026 season showed improving depth in the Australian set piece, and fellow Wallaroo Kaitlan Leaney had to deal with stiff competition from Brumbies’ Ash Fernandez and the Force’s Sera Naiqama. The Waratahs leading the tackle completion rate, rucking winning rate and carries can be laid at the feet of Leaney, the lock topping the total carries of the competition with 84, while also winning 24 lineouts for the women in sky blue.

5. Michaela Leonard (Western Force)

The most capped Wallaroo of all time is showing no signs of slowing down, having dominated the set piece statistics across the season. Completing 74 tackles and winning 25 lineouts, a big reason for the Western Force’s improvement can be laid at the feet on Leonard being a powerhouse in the engine room.

6. Jemma Bemrose (Queensland Reds)

Captaining the Queensland Reds this year, Jemma Bemrose has future Wallaroo written all over her off the back of a big season at Ballymore. A machine at the lineout and the scrum, Bemrose’s workrate in general play saw the loose forward top the tackles complete ranking for the season, managing an astonishing 77 tackles.

7. Emily Chancellor (NSW Waratahs)

Even despite disappearing for a week to captain the Barbarians against Wales, Emily Chancellor made an immediate impression whenever she took the field in a sky blue jersey. Securing a strong work rate of 51 tackles across the four games, Chancellor, along with the likes of Piper Duck and Ruby Anderson, played a big part in giving the Waratahs dominance at the ruck and in the physical contest.

8. Tabua Tuinakauvadra (ACT Brumbies)

Playing in a ACT Brumbies side that just missed out on semis thanks to a historic Reds win over the Waratahs, the women from Canberra can take some comfort from their 2025 Wallaroo Player of the Year having not lost her touch at all. Tabua Tuinakauvadra complimented a strong Brumbies set piece that included Wallaroos captain Siokapesi Palu Sekona, showing just how slim the margins were between making semis and just missing out.