Unbeaten in two years, the NSW Waratahs women’s team are striving to tick their last unchecked box when they meet Queensland in the Super W final on Sunday - the perfect game.
The NSW team have been the juggernaut of Super W in the first two seasons, notching up nine wins from nine starts - including last year’s Grand Final over arch-rivals Queensland.
The second season of Super W in 2019 has seen a rise in standard across the board but, somewhat inevitably, the two powerhouse teams - NSW and Queensland - have again risen to the top for a second consecutive decider.
The game will be a standalone fixture at Leicchardt Oval on Sunday; the same venue where 3000 fans watched the Waratahs edge the Queenslanders … in their regular season.
Players and officials are hoping they can follow in the footsteps of the AFLW grand final last weekend in Adelaide and attract a crowd of 10,000 to the Super W decider.
“‘Fill the hill’ is what we’re saying,” Waratahs flanker Emily Chancellor said. "I am sure it is going to be great.”
Chancellor is one of eleven Wallaroos in the NSW run-on side named by Matt Evrard on Wednesday, and with no injuries in his squad, the coach has the luxury of another three Test players to inject from the bench.
While Queensland dispatched the Brumbies in the semi-final, the Waratahs had the week off after finishing minor premiers and it was welcomed after two rounds on the road in WA and in Bathurst.
Some believe that it’s better to play through than have a week off, but Evrard said he has no concerns whatsoever about his players arriving at the Grand Final physically prepared and mentally ready.
Evrard said his team are extremely good at self-motivation and “are not undefeated for no reason”.
"In the last two weeks, all we have tried to set out is how we can be best as a team,” he said.
"That’s what their challenge is this weekend. The only thing we haven’t really ticked off for us as a team in the last two years is to say “this is an 80 minutes we’re proud of”.
"That’s exactly what we want to try and do this weekend. That’s their aim for this Sunday.
"The girls have to be motivated, and they are extremely good as a group at keeping themselves motivated. They constantly want to keep pushing themselves and that’s why they have kept themselves at a good level, they’re not undefeated for no reason.”
Chancellor is one who won’t be lacking any motivation to add a Super W title to her burgeoning rugby CV.
Though later named as the Wallaroos player of 2018, the open side flanker was injured for Super W and missed out on the epic extra-time victory by NSW.
"Unfortunately I missed out last year but I am really excited to step out with the girls this weekend. It was such a nail biter of a final and frustrating to be on the sideline. But really great footy to watch, so it was a good spectacle,” she said.
"I think we have seen through this whole Super W season that the standard has increased across the board so I am sure we will get another great Grand Final re-match this year.
"For us it was a good opportunity to reflect on the season we had, celebrate that we won the minor premiership, fix up a few niggles that we had during the season and fully focus on the next game with two weeks preparation."
The Buildcorp Super W Final between NSW Women and Queensland Women is on Sunday, 4:30pm, at Leichhardt Oval. Live Coverage on Foxsports, Kayo Sports and RUGBY.com.au
NSW Waratahs Team
1 Emily Robinson
2 Tasmin Sheppard
3 Evelyn Horomia
4 Ana-Lise Sio
5 Sera Naiqama
6 Alexandra Sulusi (vc)
7 Emily Chancellor
8 Grace Hamilton (vc)
9 Iliseva Batibasaga
10 Chloe Leaupepe
11 Shanice Parker
12 Katrina Barker
13 Crystal Maguire
14 Maya Stewart
15 Ashleigh Hewson ©
RESERVES
16 Melissa Fatu
17 Loretta Mailangi
18 Asoiva Karpani
19 Noella Green
20 Fi Jones
21 Arabella McKenzie
22 Mahalia Murphy
23 Kennedy Cherrington
