Latest news with #CaitlynHalse
Scoop
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Rugby: Wallaroo Waiaria Ellis Says New Zealand Was 'The Best Place To Debut'
, Henare te Ua Māori Journalism Intern Western Sydney schoolgirl Waiaria Ellis debuted for the Wallaroos last weekend, playing for her country against her other home side. The Laurie O'Reilly cup match between the Black Ferns and the Wallaroos at Sky Stadium meant the Australian pocket rocket became the second-youngest debutant in Wallaroos history at 17 years and 305 days. Ellis, who is nicknamed 'Baba', was just 60 days short of Caitlyn Halse's record set in 2024. "I wasn't expecting to debut so soon. I thought that I would have had a few more training camps and that, because I'd been to a few, but I just wasn't expecting it, so it's literally so surreal," Ellis said. "There's definitely no better place to debut, to be honest. Like, just being Māori, then being able to debut in New Zealand and versing New Zealand was pretty crazy, but it was amazing." The Castle Hill High Schooler started in the number 14 jersey on the same wing as Katelyn Vaha'akolo. The Black Ferns clinched a 37-12 win over the Aussies. Her mum flew over the Tasman to the capital, and her koro, nan, and aunty drove down from Tūrangi. The Ngāti Tūwharetoa descendant said that having the backing of her family was everything. "I'm just so proud to be Māori. Our culture, our connection to the land, and just my family. Family is a lot to us. It is important." Her dad Ben Ellis played in the NRL for St George Illawarra and captained the New Zealand Māori Rugby League team in 2008. Her sister Ruby-Jean Kennard-Ellis has also played in the NRLW for the Parramatta Eels. The young Ellis looked up to both her dad and her big sister. "My dad helped coach me and everything, and he played in the NRL as well. He knows a lot about footy and he's just helped me a lot with everything in my career. "But then, a few years ago, my sister debuted for Para, Parramatta NRLW, and she was the first junior Parramatta player to play for the women - the first junior one to come through the path - she was actually a very big idol of mine, I looked up to her." She also praised her teammate Caitlyn Halse, who is another strong contender for the number 15 jersey. "She's very, very good, and she's so young, like, she's just a year older than me but she's achieved so much, and, she's just such a great player." Ellis hasn't been playing the 15-aside game long but owes her nifty playmaking ability to rugby league - the sport she has been playing since she was five years old. She has also worn the green and gold in junior Australian gymnastics, Oztag, and schoolgirls sevens. In just her second year on the rugby pitch, she scored a spot in the NSW Waratahs Super Rugby Women's team at 16. The Waratahs won the Super W championship back-to-back, defeating the Queensland Reds 43-21 this year. "Super W season is one of my favourites. The girls are just really good to be around." With a Wallaroo cap under her belt, Ellis wants to see where her rugby career can take her. "Australia has given me everything, all my opportunities and stuff. So I feel like that's who I should be representing." "But also, if I was in a black jersey, I'd be very proud to be in a black jersey as well - both I'd be very grateful for if I ever had to swap for anything." And the utility back isn't limiting her options. "I definitely would want to give sevens a crack." But for now, Ellis' focus is impressing selectors for the Women's Rugby World Cup in England. "Obviously I do other sports and stuff, but I've just been really concentrating on 15s, just because that's, like, the World Cup is literally the pinnacle of our sport. Everyone wants to achieve that, so that would be pretty amazing." Wallaroos head coach Jo Yapp said in a pre-match statement that the coaching staff are "all really pleased for Waiaria." "She has an excellent skillset and her youthfulness has a great effect on the playing group. We are confident in her ability to take the next step at this level." Australia is hosting Wales in a two-test series on 26 July in Brisbane and 1 August in Sydney in preparations for the Rugby World Cup. A squad of 32 will be selected for the World Cup following the match in Sydney, then will jet off for the UK on 11 August.
ABC News
17-05-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Australia Wallaroos defeat USA 27-19 as American gets red card for head stomp
The Wallaroos have claimed their first win over the United States on home soil, with a 27-19 triumph in Canberra. Two tries to open side flanker Ashley Marsters guided Australia to the eight-point win, despite the best efforts from American prop Hope Rogers who scored a hat-trick for the Eagles. The Test match was soured when US inside centre Alev Kelter lost her cool and repeatedly stomped on the head of Wallaroo Georgina Friedrichs. Friedrichs was holding onto the bootlaces of Kelter, trying to complete a tackle, only for the American to stomp down on her head multiple times. Kelter was given a straight red card for the brain snap. The match was beyond doubt when Kelter was sent off in the 79th minute, with the Wallaroos outscoring the Americans four tries to three, claiming their first win in this year's Pacific Four Series. The defence of the Wallaroos, especially late on their goal line, proved crucial in the win. "We just kept fronting up, getting off the line [and] kept making our shorts tackles," Wallaroos fullback Caitlyn Halse said. "Very proud of the girls. We've been working on that all week." The Americans were the first to score, with Hope Rogers coming in from close range in the 15th minute, but Australia answered through winger Charlotte Caslick, scoring her first Test match try. A try to Marsters and prop Eva Karpani helped the Wallaroos to a 19-14 half-time lead. Both sides scored one try in the second half, with a penalty goal from Faitala Moleka extending the margin to eight points with 19 minutes to play. The Americans had the better of possession and territory throughout the whole match, but errors continued to hamper their momentum. The US conceded 17 penalties in the match, compared to just seven from Australia. "I think we were kind of our own worst enemy with some of our faults because we had some great moments of play," US star Ilona Maher said. "I feel like at times we did it to ourselves, but [there is] a lot to learn from." Australia will face Canada next Friday at Lang Park.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Record-breaking teen's timely return in Super semi
Caitlyn Halse is looking to make up for lost time after injury kept the NSW Waratahs young gun sidelined until Sunday's Super W semi-final against the Western Force. Halse had a record-breaking year in 2024, becoming the youngest debutant in Wallaroos or Wallabies Test history when at 17 she played fullback against USA during the Pacific Four series in May. At 17-years-old, last night Caitlyn Halse became the youngest-ever player to play a Test-match for Australia 👏Congratulations, Caitlyn 💚💛#Wallaroos — Wallaroos (@WallaroosRugby) May 18, 2024 She was nominated by World Rugby as a 2024 breakout player of the year and hoped to take her game to a new level ahead of this year's women's Rugby World Cup in England, starting in August. But Halse had to pump the brakes after injuring her quad then hamstring, meaning the speedster's first match of the year will be the Super W semi at Leichhardt Oval. Halse's Waratahs, who finished top of the ladder, are hosting the fourth-placed Force while the Reds came second and earned the right to host Fijian Drua in Sunday's early game. NSW are the reigning champions after downing the Drua 50-14 in last year's title decider, with winger Desiree Miller bagging a hat-trick. Halse started at fullback in that victory. "I was coming off a quad tear coming into the season and after a game at training I felt pain towards the bottom end of my knee," the 18-year-old told AAP. "The scans came back that I had a hammy tear so it wasn't the best of news coming into the season. "Last year was such a massive year and I was hoping to do the same again so it was quite frustrating when I found out I was going to miss most of the season." While NSW have never lost to the Force, they had to scramble to score a 79th minute try to secure a 26-21 victory in their round two meeting. Halse, who will start from the bench, said the Force, who recruited heavily in the off-season, were a danger team. "Our season didn't get off to the best of starts but I think we really learnt from our first game of the season and we've worked really hard and come together as a team, especially in the last few games. "The Force are definitely going to be a threat - they've got a couple of big names and some young stars coming up so they're a very solid team. "It's semi-finals and anything can happen, so hopefully we will put together a good performance at home, for us and for our fans, to go through to that grand final."
