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A century on and Kylie Pennell is Australia’s female answer to the great Dally Messenger. Pennell is one of several unheralded sporting all-rounders who will line up for the Wallaroos tomorrow night in the first of two Tests against New Zealand’s Black Ferns at Canberra’s Viking Park.
Incredibly, after Saturday’s second rugby Test, Pennell will switch codes to represent Australia at the women’s rugby league world cup starting on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on November 3.
“It’s exciting and I love playing them both and I put a lot of commitment into playing them both,” the 30-year-old prop told AAP.
“A lot of people often ask me, `which one do you like best and would you choose?’ And I honestly can’t choose. I love them both, and they’re actually two games of football but they’re two totally different games.
“I played for Australia in both last year.”
Having three weeks between her code-cross challenge should be a snack for Pennell, who routinely plays for the Dubbo Rhinos in union and then for Forrestville in the Sydney women’s league on the very same weekend.
Like Messenger, Pennell is a proud dual international.
Fellow Wallaroo Tricia Brown, though, can boast of representing Australia in three sports.
The 29-year-old, who will start at fullback against the Black Ferns, was formerly a left-handed all-rounder with the Australian women’s cricket team and has also played Gaelic football for her country.
“Cricket was my first passion,” Brown said.
“I actually took up rugby as an off-season sport for cricket and then got more and more involved in that.
“And then a couple of years after I started playing footy, a friend got me involved with Gaelic football and I had the opportunity to go over to Ireland and go over to the World Cup as well.
“It’s not bad. I’ve been pretty fortunate with my opportunities that have been presented to me in sport.”
Talented pair Nicole Beck and Saline Thornton were spotted playing touch football for Australia and were encouraged to give rugby a crack.
Now they’re also Wallaroos.
Brown said it was an exciting time for Australian women’s rugby.
The Tests against New Zealand are the first on Australian soil for seven years and Brown promised the trans-Tasman series would be as keenly-contested as any other sporting clash between the two nations.
“Oh yeah,” Brown said. “Yeah, I think it’s just any Australia v New Zealand contest.
“I don’t think it really matters what code, what football or even what sport it is. I think there’s just a natural rivalry between the two countries.
“They’re the world champions and we definitely want to go out there and stick it to them and match it with them and beat them.”
Tonight Test kicks off at 6pm (AEDT) and Saturday’s starts at 3pm.
Australia: Tricia Brown, Iliseva Batibasaga, Sharni Williams, Tui Ormsby, Nicole Beck, Alana Thomas, Cheryl Soon (capt), Debby Hodgkinson, Alexandra Hargreaves, Selena Tranter, Kate Porter, Dalena Dennison, Kylie Pennell, Silei Poluleuligaga, Lindsay Morgan. Res: Margaret Watson, Danielle Meskell, Tasileta Bethell, Seei Sau, Kim Wilson, Saline Thornton, Melissa Rowe.
New Zealand: Hannah Porter, Victoria Grant, Huriana Manuel, Halie Hurring, Carla Hohepa, Anna Richards, Emma Jensen, Linda Itunu, Olivia Coady, Melissa Ruscoe (capt), Victoria Heighway, Kim Smith, Beth Mallard, Fiao’o Fa’amausili Stephanie Te Ohaere-Fox. Res: Ruth McKay, Doris Taufateau, Monalisa Codling, Aimee Sutorius, Kendra Cocksedge, Rebecca Hull, Selica Winiata.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.