The Wallaroos have been boosted by the retention of five experienced players on new Rugby Australia contracts for the 2026 season.
World Cup representatives Emily Chancellor, Piper Duck, Tania Naden, Cecilia Smith and Adiana Talakai have all signed new agreements with the Wallaroos program.
The quintet has 132 Test matches between them and are all coming off a second World Cup appearance each in September.
Chancellor returns for an eighth year after having a taste of the captaincy in 2025 while Duck overcame injury to finish as a leading tackler at the Women's Rugby World Cup.
Naden and Talakai are the country’s most experienced hookers and Smith looks set to play a leading role in 2026 following the retirement of fellow centre Trilleen Pomare.
General Manager of Women’s Rugby Jilly Collins said she was delighted to secure some of Australian rugby's most experienced players.
“Emily is a leader within the Wallaroos squad, her captaincy during the Wales series and at the World Cup was a huge personal achievement and a reflection of her influence,” Collins said.
“As one of the most experienced players, she works tirelessly on field and serves as a role model who many young players look up to.
“Tania is a quiet achiever who is deeply admired by her Wallaroos teammates. She brings plenty of experience with 27 caps and is a crucial contributor to our success around the set piece.
“Piper has had a fantastic second half of the season, consistently playing Test matches after battling a tough injury run.
“Her skill levels were clear at the World Cup, where she proved both damaging in attack and a workhorse in defence.
“Cecilia is a valued member of our backline and her Wallaroos Player of the Year nomination in 2025 reflects the key performer she was for us this year.
“We're looking forward to seeing her continue to contribute and develop her game in this new World Cup cycle.
“Adi enjoyed a successful return to the Wallaroos this season following a knee injury.
“Her three tries at the World Cup were a fantastic reward for her resilience and the hard work she put in to get back into the gold jersey.”
The Wallaroos are in a contracting period for the 2026 Test season, which includes 10 Test matches with the full schedule to be released soon.
Emily Chancellor
- Position: Backrow
- DOB: 20/8/1991
- Caps: 34
- Junior Club: Sydney University
- 2025 Super Rugby Club: NSW Waratahs
- Test Debut: Australia v New Zealand, 2018
- World Cups: 2 (2021, 2025)
Piper Duck
- Position: Backrow
- DOB: 2/4/2001
- Caps: 22
- Junior Club: Tumut Bullettes
- 2025 Super Rugby Club: NSW Waratahs
- Test Debut: Australia v Fiji, 2022
- World Cups: 2 (2021, 2025)
Tania Naden
- Position: Hooker
- DOB: 20/2/1992
- Caps: 27
- Junior Club: Uni-North Owls
- 2025 Super Rugby Club: ACT Brumbies
- Test Debut: Australia v Wales, 2022
- World Cups: 2 (2021, 2025)
Cecilia Smith
- Position: Centre
- DOB: 13/3/1994
- Caps: 28
- Junior Club: Leeton Dianas
- 2025 Super Rugby Club: Western Force
- Test Debut: Australia v New Zealand, 2022
Adiana Talakai
- Position: Hooker
- DOB: 24/2/1999
- Caps: 21
- Junior Club: Sydney University
- 2025 Super Rugby Club: NSW Waratahs
- Test Debut: Australia v Fiji, 2022
