‘Women’s rugby is only getting bigger’: Tahs gear up for Blues clash

NSW Waratahs winger Desiree Miller is ready to show the world once again that “women’s rugby is only getting bigger” with the Rugby World Cup just around the corner. Miller starred in the Super Rugby Women’s Grand Final, but the Tahs have their sights set on another trophy.

After a hard-fought 43-21 win over arch-rivals the Queensland Reds on Saturday afternoon, the Waratahs have turned their focus to a historic Women’s Super Rugby Champions Final against the best side from New Zealand’s Aupiki competition.

The Waratahs will take on a star-studded Blues side at North Harbour Stadium on Thursday, with the Aupiki champions boasting a roster that includes Black Ferns Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Ruahei Demant, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, and Katelyn Vahaakolo.

It was a thrilling Grand Final victory for the Blues on Saturday, who got the better of Matatu 26-19 at Auckland’s Eden Park. Woodman-Wickliffe was named the Player of the Final, but just like Miller and the Waratahs, the Blues are chasing a slice of history.

As the Waratahs celebrated their second-successive Super Rugby Women’s crown, Miller spoke about the importance of this week’s clash with the Blues – the Aupiki Final hadn’t finished yet when the winger previewed the fixture.

“It’s definitely important not only to compete with the New Zealand side, because that’s where we want the comp to head, we want that merge, but to show Australia and New Zealand and potentially the world that this is where it needs to be and this is where it needs to grow,” Miller told reporters at North Sydney Oval.

“Women’s rugby is only getting bigger and we’ve got to jump on the ride to propel it forward.

“You’ve got to work for your opportunity and I think we’ve shown that now. Hopefully, next year we s a little bit of a change and we can see that cross-Tasman competition.”

With less than 20 minutes to play in last weekend’s big dance, the Waratahs held onto a slender eight-point lead over a Reds side that refused to give up. Arabella McKenzie converted a penalty to extend their advantage beyond a converted try.

The match took a twist as replacement prop Seneti Kilisimasi was shown a yellow card, seeing the Waratahs reduced to 14 players for a decisive 10-minute period. But some more heroics from Miller, who had been superb up until that point, all but sealed the win.

With Wallaroos coach Jo Yapp watching on from the sidelines, Miller sliced through the Reds’ defensive line to score a long-range runaway try in the 62^nd minute. Emily Robinson and Georgina Friedrichs also scored late tries as the Tahs secured the win.

“I didn’t even know the buzzer went when it went and everyone was getting around each other,” Miller reflected with a smile.

“It’s a really great moment, back-to-back, not only for us but for me, my second championship and almost better than the first.

“No, God no,” she added when asked if she was expecting to be named Player of the Final. “It was a massive team effort.

“There were mistakes but we came back from it and we showed a lot of resilience so it was a team effort there and I think everyone deserves this trophy.”