World Cup’s top tackler: ‘I had never been Piper Duck without rugby before’

Piper Duck was named the youngest Wallaroos captain ever as a 22-year-old in 2023. Two years later, Duck has made more tackles in two rounds than anyone else at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, which sounds like another milestone for a prodigious talent on the path to greatness.

But a lot has happened in the 843 days between that Wallaroos captaincy announcement and Duck taking the field at Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium for Australia’s final training session before playing England this weekend.

This is a story about Duck as a world-class loose forward on the international rugby stage, sure, but equally, this is about a person who was forced to look in the mirror and ask herself, “Okay, who am I?”

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When 2016 Olympic gold medallist Shannon Parry decided to retire, Rugby Australia’s Board all agreed that Duck should step up as the next captain of the Wallaroos, but a disastrous run of injuries meant the Australian never got the chance to actually lead the team into battle.

Duck has suffered four big injuries in the last two years, including a devastating shoulder issue which ruled the Waratahs skipper out of the 2025 Super Rugby Women’s Grand Final – with the Tahs defeating arch-rivals the Queensland Reds 43-21.

Even further back, the Australian missed Tests away to Ireland and Wales in September with an ankle injury. That also ruled Duck out of WXV 2, with the Wallaroos claiming their first major trophy in team history after beating Wales, South Africa and Scotland.

“I had never been Piper Duck without rugby before and it was really hard,” Duck told RugbyPass after Australia’s captain’s run at Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium.

“It’s such a different reflection piece when a lot of your identity is built around what you do on the paddock, the rugby, the community you create. When they’re international for two months and you’re by yourself rehabbing, it’s hard, it’s really hard.

“I think it’s just made me so much stronger now. My resilience has grown a lot and my determination to achieve what I want to achieve, to be part of this group that I love so immensely with this with my mates, I’ve only gotten hungrier.

“I have been asked, ‘Are you going to hang up the boots?’ I’m 24. I’m not hanging up the boots. The thing is, it’s actually the opposite for me… it’s just made me hungrier, I want it more. For me I’m really proud that I’ve managed to hold on to that and to understand the reason I play.

 

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“Looking at those young girls in the crowd, looking at my little sister who’s seven, I’m not not going to do this. Talking to those women who now come and watch us with their girls and go, ‘God I wish I could’ve played.’ Hearing those conversations to now know that I have that opportunity, it’s a no-brainer for me that I’m gonna keep playing.”

After missing big games with the Waratahs, including their Champions Final loss away to the Blues at North Harbour Stadium, Duck completed a hard-fought return to the international arena by playing for Australia A against Samoa in Canberra.

Duck returned to Wallaroos gold against the Black Ferns in Wellington, before featuring both Tests against the Welsh in Australia. The 24-year-old started the second match against Wales, and coach Jo Yapp has retained the backrower in the run-on side ever since.

With regular captain Siokapesi Palu sidelined with a foot injury, Tabua Tuinakauvadra and Emily Chancellor joined forces with Duck as the starting backrow trio. Those three were named to start against Samoa in Australia’s Rugby World Cup opener in Salford two weeks ago.

Running out onto the field and singing Australia’s national anthem – that’s a moment Duck won’t forget anytime soon. With two years of injuries and frustration in the past, Duck had the chance to stop, reflect and appreciate being on the sport’s biggest stage – playing again at a Rugby World Cup.

“I got emotional in the Samoan game at the World Cup because I knew my family would be sitting at home on the TV watching me,” Duck said.

“When we’re singing the anthem, I was looking at the crowd and I could see everyone’s families, I could see everyone there, it was quite a big crowd for the game. I got really emotional, I started crying during the anthem because it’s one of the small moments you get during a World Cup, during a game, where you actually have to stop, you’re forced to stop.

“You also get a moment when singing your anthem to just embrace the fact, ‘I’m at a World Cup, I’m singing my national anthem and everyone at home and in those stands are here to support me and are watching this game’ and you feel it.

“With a crowd like tomorrow where there’s 31,000 fans and the odds of hearing many of them sing the Australian anthem isn’t high but I know for a fact that when I look either side of me, we say sisters next to me, I’m going to hear it loud and I’m going to hear it proud.

“I think that says a lot about the culture we’ve built as a group and I feel that emotionally when I’m with them. I know my family will be back home, probably screaming at the TV, and then I’ve got my best mates next to me as well.”

Chancellor topped the tackle charts in the 73-nil win over Samoa at York Community Stadium, but Duck wasn’t too far behind. Duck made the most tackles out of any player in the 31-all draw with the USA, and now leads the competition for most stops on the defensive side of the ball.

With 49 tackles, Duck is slightly ahead of Scotland’s Evie Gallagher (47) and Rachel Malcolm (42). Australia’s Kaitlan Leaney (41) and Michaela Leonard (39) round out the top five, with the Wallaroos making the most tackles out of any team as a collective with 418.

“It’s obviously nice seeing something like that but I think I’ve just got to take my hat off to the group and honestly Jo Yapp as well. She’s been working with me so immensely, especially since doing my shoulder and getting my confidence back around making contact on my shoulder,” she reflected.

“To obviously see that tackle stat off the back of two games, I was quite proud of that because it means, well I’m thankfully doing something right in that area.

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“I take my hat off to Jo who’s worked really closely with me to give me that confidence in my technique and I’m still honestly working on it at times around my technique and the kind of tackles I am making, which could be more dominant.

“Also the girls in our system and having the trust in me to move forward, come with me in that fire defence that we’re looking to do.

“But also, I hope I’m not too high tomorrow in the tackle count because I would love to be putting some points on England. I’m obviously grateful but looking to get a bit of attack in tomorrow as well.”