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Women take pride of place alongside men in historic double header.
It's safe to say Women's rugby league has come a long way in the last few years. In 2013, the Australian team were in England contesting the Women's Rugby League World Cup. They paid their own way there, had no corporate backing and very little publicity from anywhere.
Jump ahead to 2016 and we've seen the game grow in leaps and bounds. Harvey Norman are now the naming rights partner of the Australian Jillaroos, and the Trans-Tasman battle isn't just limited to the mid-season test - the Jillaroos and New Zealand Kiwi Ferns have received unprecedented exposure from their clashes during the last two Auckland Nines tournaments.
Australian coach Steve Folkes has chosen no less than five test debutants in his lineup, and media reports during the week indicate he'll be focusing on upping the Jillaroos aggression after being outmuscled at the Nines in February. The Kiwi Ferns, meanwhile, welcome back Kristina Sue, who's been missing from their test squad since they destroyed the Jillaroos 34-0 in the 2008 Women's World Cup final. Sue went off to play union for several years before returning to the league fold, slowly making her way back to international level. 18th woman in last year's mid-season test, Sue will slot in at halfback.
Last meeting: Women's Test 2015 - Australian Jillaroos 22 New Zealand Kiwi Ferns 14
The Women's Trans-Tasman Test has been played as a curtain raiser for the last two years - in 2015 prior to the postponed mid-season Men's Test at Suncorp Stadium, and in 2014 prior to Australia's Four Nations win over Samoa in Wollongong. The honours are shared across those two matches, with the Kiwi Ferns victors in 2014 before Jillaroos exacted revenge last year. These sides have also contested two 3-match series as part of the 2015 and 2016 Auckland Nines competitions, with the Kiwi Ferns winning both. Back in 2013, the Jillaroos defeated the Kiwi Ferns in the Women's World Cup final at Headingley, England.
The favourite: There isn't one. While the Women's game has made plenty of strides in recent years, no prominent bookmakers have framed a market for this contest.
My tip: Tough one. All three games in the Nines series this February were pretty close and Australia performed well in last year's mid-season Test. Going to tip Australia narrowly - but wouldn't be surprised to see it go to the Ferns! Australia by 2.
1. Sam Bremner 2. Chelsea Baker 3. Corban Mcgregor 4. Annette Brander 5. Karina Brown 6. Allana Ferguson 7. Maddie Studdon 8. Simaima Taufa 9. Brittany Breayley 10. Heather Ballinger 11. Kezie Apps 12. Vanessa Foliaki 13. Ruan Sims
Interchange: 14. Elizabeth Cook-black 18. Caitlin Moran 16. Casey Karklis 17. Emma Young 21. Simaima Taufa
1. Sarina Fiso 2. Lanulangi Veainu 3. Maitua Feterika 4. Va'anessa Molia-fraser 5. Atawhai Tupaea 6. Georgia Hale 7. Kristina Sue 8. Lilieta Maumau 9. Krystal Rota 10. Kelly Maipi 11. Teuila Fotu-moala 12. Annetta Nuuausala 13. Nora Maaka
Interchange: 18. Mary-jane Ale 15. Kahurangi Peters 16. Krystal Murray 17. Charmaine Mcmenamin
Referees: Adam Cassidy; Sideline Officials: Joshua McGowan, Todd Smith