Overview
- Leonard will start at lock on Saturday at Sunshine Coast Stadium, taking her record 46th Test against New Zealand.
- Interim coach Sam Needs named a reshaped XV, moving Faitala Moleka to fly half, handing Waiaria Ellis the fullback role, and ruling out Faliki Pohiva with a foot injury.
- Rugby Australia plans to appoint a permanent head coach after the Pacific Four Series, so this will be Needs’s final Test in charge.
- The Wallaroos return from a United States leg disrupted by storms and long delays, following losses to Canada and the USA.
- The matchup is the first between the rivals on Anzac Day, with Australia still chasing a first win over the Black Ferns as New Zealand’s long-term pro setup outpaces a Wallaroos program now adding more Tests each year.