‘We’re in a different world’: Jilly Collins outlines the Wallaroos’ growth

The Wallaroos bowed out of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup with a one-sided 46-5 quarter-final loss to Canada at Bristol’s Ashton Gate. But even in defeat, players spoke with genuine enthusiasm and excitement about what lies ahead for Australia’s national team.

Emily Chancellor told RugbyPass and Rugby.com.au that there is no limit for the Wallaroos, and that they’re “so close to making it click.” When Chancellor first joined the Wallaroos about 10 years earlier, they only spent one week together in camp that season.

There’s been a lot of change for the Wallaroos since then, with the team spending more than 100 days together on the road in 2025. Jilly Collins has been part of this journey since 2018, leading the way as the General Manager for Women’s Rugby at Rugby Australia.

Rugby Australia remains committed to growing the women’s game in Australia, ahead of a Rugby World Cup on home soil in 2029. The Wallaroos will play 10 Tests in 2026, which gets underway against Fijiana at Canberra’s GIO Stadium on March 27.

At the time of writing, the Wallaroos have just finished their first training camp of the year at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. 26 Rugby World Cup representatives were named, 14 uncapped prospects, and four additional camp players were invited.

“When I came on board, we were barely playing any Test matches outside of the World Cups,” Collins told RugbyPass.

“If I take the journey from then, we’re in a different world, and that’s one of my real areas of pride in the role that I’ve been doing.

“In particular over the last couple of years where we’ve really accelerated that increased funding, got full-time staff around it, increased player contractual value of players, see more players crossing over between sevens and 15s. It’s all coming together and improving.

“What we can’t forget is other nations and other unions are on a similar trajectory so they’re getting better and we’re getting better.”

The Wallaroos claimed their first major trophy in team history, when they defeated three tough opponents at WXV 2 in South Africa. Australia beat Wales, South Africa and a formidable Scotland side during their run to silverware, one year out from the World Cup.

In 2025, the NSW Waratahs took out their second consecutive Super Rugby Women’s titles with a win over the Queensland Reds at North Sydney Oval. Winger Desiree Miller was named the Player of the Final, with Wallaroos coach Yapp presenting the award.

After the Super Rugby season, the Wallaroos continued on an upward trend during the Pacific Four Series. The Black Ferns had claimed 67-19 and 62-0 wins over their neighbouring rivals in 2024, but the Wallaroos reduced those margins significantly in both O’Reilly Cup Tests last year.

“It’s fantastic that we have one of the best playing women’s nations just over the Tasman from us that we can play regularly, because it’s a real benchmark for us on the field of where we’re at,” Collins added.

“We know we want to be really competitive and be there. We are very clear that we want to be there at the finals weekend at our home World Cup in 2029 so a real benchmark for us is closing that gap with the Black Ferns, making that game as competitive as possible.”

Australia and New Zealand will meet in a historic Anzac Day Test on April 25, which will be a first-of-its-kind fixture between the sides. Rugby Australia announced last week that Sunshine Coast Stadium would host the historic match, which will be played during the Pac Four.

“They were the first team that the Wallaroos played 30-odd years ago and we compete for the O’Reilly Cup and that’s been the well-established fixture in our calendar,” she said.

“To combine that, the O’Reilly Cup, with something that is so significant across the two nations as well with Anzac Day, it makes the package extra special.

“We have, historically and currently, women across both teams that have served or are serving in the military as well so there’s a real connection piece there between current and past players.

“I don’t know for definite but I think we are certainly, as far as I know, from an international perspective on the women’s side of things, the first international Anzac Day game between Australia and New Zealand.

“All of that combined makes it for a pretty special occasion.”