NZ-born Wallaroo discusses ‘nerve-wracking’ build-up to Black Ferns Test
Ask any New Zealander or Australian, and most would agree that there is no better rivalry in international sport than a contest against the neighbouring nation across the ditch.
Whether it’s in rugby union, league, netball, cricket, sailing or even lawn bowls, a clash between the passionate rivals is sure to engage fans – bringing out the very best of what sport means to people.
The highly anticipated clash between Rugby World Cup champions New Zealand and the Wallaroos on Thursday is no different.
Australia raced out to a commanding lead early in their pool play matchup at Eden Park last year, but New Zealand showed their class to record a comfortable win.
But both teams are ushering in a new era. The likes of Australia’s Shannon Perry and New Zealand’s Kendra Cocksedge have retired.
The next generation must step up.
In just her second Test match, playmaker Carys Dallinger will look to steer the Wallaroos to what would be one of their biggest wins in history.
Playing in front of a buzzing crowd at a standalone Test match in Queensland, against the reigning world champions – it doesn’t get much bigger.
Well, it does for Dallinger.
Like many New Zealanders, the playmaker grew up “chasing that black jersey dream.” But Dallinger’s rugby career has taken her across the ditch.
Dallinger will wear Wallaroos gold on Thursday instead of the famous black jersey, and will stand respectfully in front of the haka rather than performing it alongside some of her friends.
“Quite nerve-wracking but also really excited at the same time,” Dallinger told RugbyPass. “There’s a lot of mixed emotions because a lot of them are my friends and I’ve grown up playing with them.
“You’ve got to play the best to be the best so I’m excited for that challenge.
“Just fortunate enough to be picked for the Wallaroos and give this a go… international footy is the goal at the end of the day.”
Dallinger never gave up on her rugby dream – she is only 23 after all – and has gone on to star in Super Rugby Aupiki with the Hurricanes Poua and the Queensland Reds in Australia.
But after losing the Super W to the Fijiana Drua in Townsville, the 23-year-old was set to return to New Zealand – but received a phone call from her manager.
Dallinger’s agent informed the skilful playmaker – who was eligible for New Zealand, Australia and England – that her flights had been put on hold.
After officially being included in the Wallaroos squad, the flyhalf made her international debut against Fiji at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium earlier this year.
Having starred in the No. 10 jersey, Dallinger has held off some tough competition to retain her spot in the starting XV for this week’s crucial trans-Tasman clash.
Dallinger’s rugby career may not have turned out how she expected, but the rising star clearly had no regrets.
“I always just had an inkling that I was going to end up in Aussie.
“You’re sort of tied to New Zealand chasing that black jersey dream, then just a few setbacks and Aussie has been calling my name for a long time.
”I always knew I was going to end up here, I wasn’t sure if it was going to be playing rugby, I just happened to fall into this quite fortunately and here we are riding the wave.”
Dallinger will link up with Layne Morgan in the halves in Redcliffe, and joins a star-studded line-up for the clash.
Western Force lock Michaele Leonard will captain the side for the first time.
The match between the Wallaroos and Black Ferns will get underway at 7.00 pm AEST on Thursday at Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe.
Comments on RugbyPass
Pls get it into your thick arrogant heads that the final was played by two Southern Hemisphere teams. The best against the best and that Argentina was just unlucky otherwise non of the Northetn Hemisphere teams would have seen the light of day.
124 Go to commentsAs long as New Zealand youth are involved in sport they are passionate for, and are well supported, it’s all good. I love league as well as rugby. NRL clubs have long since scouted the First 15 competitions, the NH and Japan scout super rugby and NPC. It’s a miracle there’s any players left for the all blacks to pick from.
4 Go to commentsI'm a Bok fan, so I don't say this lightly, but he is one of my all time favourite players. I am really going to miss watching him play. Thanks for many great memories. You are a true legend of the game.
3 Go to commentsBest way to deal with all of this is to play another game.
124 Go to commentsIt’s 12-15 games Luke. Ringrose has barely played in 2024 and Henshaw and Keenan have also been out for spells in the same time period. There are always injuries and for younger players to play with the likes of Barrett will be great for them. It’s just looking for negatives where there are none.
5 Go to commentsAndy Goode pushing his own agenda with very dubious considerations on refereeing performances. Luke Pearce speaking a bit of French doesn’t make him a good and adequate referee for the Champions Cup final; his latest refereeing performance in particular was not so great.
4 Go to commentsJordie knows that he has to earn the right to put on the jersey, whatever that jersey might be.
5 Go to commentsThe best outside centre in the world at one point. He will be greatly missed.
3 Go to commentsYip his great for the big moments when needed as a safa really enjoy watching him
4 Go to commentsOne that will start to come up from now on is penalties for back pushes during kick chase scrambles. Very difficult to detect. In Croke Park if you replay the Hendy NH try, you will see Furbank push Porter in the back, who collides with Larmour knocking the ball across into Hendy’s path to dot down. A more significant example was in the RWC QTR final where Arendse pushes Fickou into two other French players for the ball to spill into Arendse’s path for him to gather and run in to score SAs first try. Not cheating if you are not caught and very difficult to spot but with kicking becoming so critical I feel its an area that will referreeed/TMO-ed more.
4 Go to commentsWhat a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
124 Go to commentsFoxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
3 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
4 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
4 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
124 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
4 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to comments