New Wallaroos playmaker Carys Dallinger will be a marked woman as she prepares for an "emotional" Test against birth country New Zealand in Brisbane on Thursday night.
Dallinger, who is eligible to represent Australia through her father Steve, played for the Hurricanes this season before taking up an offer to play for the Reds in Super W.
The 23-year-old made her Test debut in the 22-5 win over Fiji in Sydney in May but the world champion Black Ferns will represent a much stiffer test.
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"I was really surprised that I saw her face in the lineup," New Zealand co-captain Kennedy Simon said on Wednesday.
"But she's an incredible person and I know that whatever team she's in she's going to give 100 (per cent). So I'm really excited to meet her again, she's got lots of close friends in our group and yeah it's going to be a battle."
Asked if anyone in the team was lining up Dallinger when she first takes the ball to the line, Simon replied: "I think it's everyone, I couldn't nail it down to one person."
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Before those hostilities, Simon had a much friendlier meeting with interim Wallaroos captain Michaela Leonard at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.
Leonard will lead Australia for the first time in the absence of injured skipper Piper Duck.
"It's a massive honour for me, definitely came to me as a shock on Saturday night when I got the word from (coach) Jay Tregonning but a massive honour," Leonard said.
"I think it's something you can only dream of and something that you'll probably remember for the rest of your life. For me, trying to take it as any other game week, just continue to try and do what I do as a player.
"Communicate the way I do and very fortunate to have a good bunch of girls who are leaders in their own rights that are going to be out there with us tomorrow night and help get us over the line."
The Wallaroos are yet to record a victory over New Zealand in 23 attempts.
In last year's Rugby World Cup, Australia led the Kiwis 17-0 in the first half and were level at 17-17 in the second when they copped two disastrous yellow cards at the same time.
The Black Ferns then went on to win 41-17 at Eden Park.
"Each game that we've played we've chipped away and chipped away, and the first half at Eden Park was a bit of a showcase of what we can achieve," Wallaroos assistant coach Sione Fukofuka said.
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"Super Rugby this year has lifted which has allowed us then to obviously take steps forward and we're really excited as to what we can put out there tomorrow night against the Black Ferns and hopefully this is our time."
WALLAROOS (15-1): Faitala Moleka, Maya Stewart, Georgina Friedrichs, Cecilia Smith, Ivania Wong, Carys Dallinger, Layne Morgan, Grace Hamilton, Ashley Masters, Kaitlan Leaney, Annabelle Codey, Michaela Leonard (c), Eva Karpani, Tania Naden, Bree-Anna Cheatham
Reserves: Madison Schuck, Emily Robinson, Bridie O'Gorman, Sera Naiqama, Emily Chancellor, Jasmin Huriwai, Arabella McKenzie, Alana Elisaia
BLACK FERNS (15-1): Renee Holmes, Mererangi Paul, Amy du Plessis, Sylvia Brunt, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Ruahei Demant (co-c), Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, Kennedy Simon (co-c), Alana Bremner, Chelsea Bremner, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Tanya Kalounivale, Georgia Ponsonby, Kate Henwood
Reserves: Luka Connor, Krystal Murray, Amy Rule, Joanah Ngan-Woo, Kendra Reynolds, Iritana Hohaia, Rosie Kelly, Tenika Willison
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