Olivia Kernick has won back her Jillaroos jersey, after the Dally M Medallist was called back into Australia’s back row for their Las Vegas Test against England. Controversially axed from the squad for the Pacific Championships last year despite being the NRLW’s best player, Kernick has been listed to start in the US.
The 24-year-old is one of two new faces to the Australian side that beat New Zealand in last year’s Pacific Championships final, replacing the unavailable Millie Elliott. Quincy Dodd has also been called onto the bench, in place of fellow hooker Keeley Davis.
Kernick’s non-selection in last year’s Pacific Championships had prompted immense blowback, given the Sydney Roosters star had been part of Australia’s previous squad. It also intensified pressure on coach Brad Donald, who has since been replaced by Jess Skinner following an investigation into a separate matter regarding Donald by the NRL.
Kernick’s recall came as captain Ali Brigginshaw warned her teammates that England wold be more aggressive than their traditional foes New Zealand. The Jillaroos are facing England for only the fourth time in Test match history, and for the first time since the formation of the NRLW ushered in vast improvements to the women’s game in Australia.
Kerncik, Tamika Upton and Yasmin Clydsdale are among key Australian players who have not faced the English, having made their Jillaroos debuts since the last fixture in 2017. Brigginshaw has played in two of the previous three games, and remembers a clash as part of the 2013 World Cup as particularly aggressive, with two English players sent off.
“They’re an extremely aggressive side,” Brigginshaw told AAP. “It’s quite the battle. It’s quite fiery, it’s probably more fiery than when we play the New Zealanders. There’s a bit of tension there when it comes to Australia versus England, but I absolutely love it.”
Brigginshaw felt playing in different domestic leagues intensified the match-up.
When the sides last met at the 2017 World Cup, the English squad was comprised entirely of players who had just finished playing in the inaugural Women’s Super League season. The NRLW, meanwhile, was on the cusp of publicly announcing its first season would take place in 2018.
“They’ve got the Super League over there, so they think their competition is probably a bit better than ours,” Brigginshaw said. “It’s just extremely fiery about competitiveness and who’s the better country.”
Other than Indigenous All Stars representatives Dodd, Kernick Mahalia Murphy and Keilee Joseph, Australia’s players have not had a competitive hit-out since last November’s Pacific Cup final. The lack of game time was evident in this month’s All Stars game as Kirra Dibb and Bobbi Law went off after being injured by poorly executed tackles.
after newsletter promotion
But Skinner prescribed individual workouts for players in the lead-up to their pre-Vegas camp in Queensland that began on Thursday. All have been in the gym and running, with some players getting together in their cities to train contact together to ensure the team hits the ground running at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday (AEDT).
“We have a strong rivalry with England and a lot has changed since we last faced them in 2017,” Skinner said. “The team had an excellent training session before heading over to the USA and we’re eager to bring everything together in Vegas.”
Australia squad: Tamika Upton, Jakiya Whitfeld, Isabelle Kelly, Tiana Penitani, Julia Robinson, Ali Brigginshaw (capt), Tarryn Aiken, Shannon Mato, Olivia Higgins, Kezie Apps (capt), Yasmin Clydsdale, Olivia Kernick, Simaima Taufa, Quincy Dodd, Jessica Sergis, Sarah Togatuki, Keilee Joseph, Lauren Brown, Jessika Elliston, Mahalia Murphy, Keeley Davis.
