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AAP
Sport
Melissa Woods

Wallaroos squad overhaul for Fiji Test

Queensland Reds winger Ivania Wong is among the uncapped players in Australia's squad to face Fiji. (AAP)

The Wallaroos are breaking new ground before this year's Rugby World Cup with 11 debutantes named to take on Fiji on Friday night.

The Australian women are playing the first match of a double-header at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, before the Super Rugby Pacific clash between Queensland and the Highlanders.

It's the Wallaroos' first Test in nearly three years, with COVID-19 denying them of regular play, and is timely given the World Cup kicks off in October in New Zealand.

A number of players have cracked a spot in the Australian side on the back of strong performances in Super W, which was won by Fijiana Drua.

With their first appearance in the competition, they broke the four-year NSW Waratahs shold on the competition, winning the final last month 32-26 in a thriller.

Among the new faces in the Australian backline are Queensland Reds bolter Ivania Wong, while there's a fresh centre pairing in Waratahs duo Pauline Piliae and former Sevens star Georgina Friedrichs.

There are also three uncapped players in the pack in lock Kaitlan Leaney, prop Bridie O'Gorman and hooker Adiana Talakai, all from NSW.

The bench includes five debutantes in Reds prop Madison Schuck, Waratahs trio Sera Naiqama, Piper Duck and Layne Morgan and Jemima McCalman from the Brumbies.

The team will be led by former Olympic and Commonwealth Games medallist Shannon Parry, who is captain again for the first time since the 2017 Rugby World Cup when Australia finished sixth.

Reds prop Liz Patu is the most capped played with 23 appearances.

Wallaroos coach Jay Tregonning, overseeing his first Test, said the number of new faces marked a turning point for the team.

"With so many debutants in the side, this is a truly historic moment for the Buildcorp Wallaroos and signals a clear path forward for our program," he said.

"The team has waited an extremely long time for this Test and the group.

"I couldn't be prouder of this group for the work they put in to come together as one cohesive unit."

The women will back up with another Test against Japan on the the Gold Coast on Tuesday.

Wallaroos: Lori Cramer, Mahalia Murphy, Georgina Friedrich, Pauline Piliae, Ivania Wong, Arabella Mckenzie, Iliseva Batibasaga, Grace Hamilton, Shannon Parry (C), Emily Chancellor, Kaitlan Leaney, Michela Leonard, Bridie O'Gorman, Adiana Talakai, Liz Patu. Res: Ashley Marsters, Madison Schuck, Asoiva (Eva) Karpani, Sera Naiqama, Piper Duck, Layne Morgan, Trilleen Pomare, Jemima McCalman.

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