“16-year-old Shalom Sauaso is the biggest inclusion, continuing a breakout season for the powerhouse centre. Sauaso scored on her starting debut for the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby W, coming off an MVP performance in the World School Sevens at the end of 2023…..“
“Yapp has also confirmed ten players will join the squad as part of a development squad, headlined by 16-year-old Waiaria Ellis.” Rugby Australia Press Release
The Wallaroos squad for 2024 was announced Monday, featuring two members of our Australian Schoolgirls teams: Shalom Sauaso and Waiaria Ellis.
Shalom has been the up-and-coming star of the Queensland Reds this season, with Waiaria Ellis playing with the victorious Waratahs.
“From day one when we saw her [Shalom] in the trial game at Roma, you could see that she was a very special player,” Jo Yapp, the Wallaroos coach, said at the announcement.
“She’s absolutely held her own in every game that she’s played in for the Reds and the physicality that she’s shown.
“We’ve had some really good conversations, and I’ve met with her parents, and we’ve chatted through stuff. Ultimately, it’s an opportunity for her to come into camp and to grow with some of the obviously more senior players.
“She’s coming in because she’s been outstanding and in outstanding form at her Super club. She’s really deserving of a place.”
Shalom could make her Test debut in next week’s clash with Canada at Allianz Stadium.
The Wallaroos are playing Canada, USA and New Zealand over the next month
Shalom is in the 30-strong Four Nations series squad with Waiaria in the Wallaroos Development Team.
What’s more, they are both only 16 years old, still at school, and the two youngest ever to play in the Super W and be selected for the Wallaroos squad—only four months after representing Australia in the Australian Schoolgirl Sevens last December.
This is in addition to Shalom, Waiaria, and Elise Simpson, being selected in Rugby Australia’s winning U18 Sevens Team in December, with Heidi Dennis and Ruby Nicholas from the 2022 Australian Merit Team, who in February were selected to represent the senior Australian Sevens team, with possible future representation in Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Eleven of the 2023 Australian Schoolgirls Sevens competed in Global Youth Sevens in Auckland last December: Shalom Sauaso (who was MVP), Waiaria Ellis, Elise Simpson (Rugby Australia U18 Sevens), Madison Pomerenke (Ohana ), Logan Lemusu, Fa’agase Tupuola-Palale, Lili Boyle (Renegades), Mia Jones, Pyper Marchant, Chaela-lee Falls (Cavaliers) and Manua Moleka (Tonga)
This is also an illustration of a new seamless, cooperative, supportive relationship between the ASRU Schoolgirl Sevens and the RA Women’s Sevens unit.
The relationship between the ASRU and Rugby Australia provides an aligned and official pathway for boys and girls and supports player development and selection to senior national teams, including the Wallabies, Wallaroos, World Cups, Youth Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and Olympic Games.
Official photo of the Australian Schoolgirls Sevens team, which went undefeated to win the Global Youth Sevens tournament in convincing fashion, scoring 246 points and conceding only 29, held at Bond University, Gold Coast, 9 & 10 December 2023.
All photos: Anthony Edgar Oneshot Sport
THE AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS RUGBY UNION ‘ASRU’
The Australian Schools Rugby Union (ASRU) is an independent, incorporated, not-for-profit association established in 1971. It is run by volunteer members of the teaching profession and professionals who believe rugby has a unique ethos and benefits that contribute to the broader education of young people.
The ARSU is responsible for implementing, administering, coordinating, organising and controlling all projects and activities relating to all rugby union activities in Australia at the school level, and being the official link between schools rugby and Rugby Australia. The primary responsibilities of the ASRU are the annual Australian Schools Rugby Championships, the selection of the Australian Schoolboys and Schoolgirl Teams, the selection of Australian coaches and support staff and the arranging and delivering of international tours.
The relationship between the ASRU and Rugby Australia provides an aligned and official pathway for boys and girls and supports player development and selection to senior national teams, including the Wallabies, Wallaroos, World Cups, Youth Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and Olympic Games.
THE AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLBOYS HAVE WON 192 OF 264 PLAYED FROM 1969-2023, WITH AN ALL-TIME WINNING PERCENTAGE OF 73%, SCORING 6,687PTS TO 3,128PTS.
The ASRU has provided an expansive nursery to foster the opportunities and aspirations of school rugby players for over 50 years, establishing an extraordinary legacy and goodwill of performing at the highest level. This legacy is seen among the tens of thousands of young schoolboys and now schoolgirls from around the country who have participated in the Australian Schools Championships. Then, those who pulled on the Green and Gold representing the Australian Schoolboys or Australian Schoolgirls, and those who went on to represent Australia at the highest level as Wallabies, Australian Sevens or in other senior representative teams.
Of the 1984 Grand Slam-winning Wallabies team and the two World Cup-winning Wallaby teams in 1991 and 1999, 29 players were Australian Schoolboys. Over 200 Australian Schoolboys have played for the Wallabies, with another 145 who represented in the Australian Sevens teams.
AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE IMPACT OF AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS RUGBY, IN 2015, 72 PER CENT OF THE FIVE SUPER RUGBY TEAMS — THE WARATAHS, REDS, BRUMBIES, FORCE AND REBELS — CAME THROUGH THE AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS PATHWAY, WITH 48 PER CENT BEING AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLBOYS REPRESENTATIVES AND 24 PERCENT REPRESENTING THEIR STATES AT THE AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS.
Girls Sevens and Boys XVs competitions are now fully integrated at the Australian Schools Championships, with Australian Schoolboys and Australian Schoolgirls Sevens teams selected each year.
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