Women's rugby league front and centre in Las Vegas, with drought-breaking Test match

The Australian National Rugby League (NRL) has announced it will host an international women's match in Las Vegas, a prospect that fills former Australian Jillaroos and New South Wales captain Tasha Gale with immense pride. She noted the men's games made a huge impact on the American public last year, who were impressed by the fierce collisions and spectacular tries.

Gale believes American audiences will be even more excited when they see the Australian women's national team display the same level of brilliance. Organizers are confident about the Test match between Australia and England, scheduling it in a prime time slot between two men's NRL games to maximize viewership.

Gale anticipates this will attract millions of viewers, raising awareness of the sport, and that the women's match will be a sensation in Las Vegas. This Test match will be the first women's sporting event held at Allegiant Stadium since its opening in 2020, marking a significant milestone.

Australia and England are ranked first and third in the world, respectively, but the two teams haven't played each other since 2017 due to limited international competition opportunities. Gale says the English women's team will undoubtedly go all out to defeat Australia and claim the world number one spot. The result of this match will demonstrate which nation has made greater progress in developing top female players.

England coach Stuart Barrow believes women's rugby has seen significant development globally. England's RFL Women's Super League, founded in 2017 with only four teams, has now expanded to 12. Barrow stated that many young players are now emerging, and the growth rate of women's rugby is astonishing.

Last season, the average attendance for the two leagues was not significantly different, with the NRLW averaging 1,864 spectators per game and the Women's Super League averaging 1,666. Regular competition has also improved the level of the England national team. Last November, they achieved their biggest win in history with an 82-0 victory over Wales at Headingley Stadium, and they are eager to compete against Australia.

Barrow says he hopes to understand their own level through this match and use it as a benchmark for future progress. He has great respect for the Australian women's national team, believing there is a reason why they are world champions. Tasha Gale also believes that the NRLW is one of the best women's leagues in any rugby code.

Gale stated that while England also has a strong league, its level is still significantly different compared to the Australian league. Some English players will bring valuable NRLW experience, including Knights halfback Georgia Roche and Raiders back-rower Hollie-Mae Dodd. The Australian women's national team performed well at last year's Pacific Cup, including consecutive victories over the New Zealand Kiwi Ferns.

However, captain Ali Brigginshaw says she expects England to be more physical and explosive than New Zealand. Preparations for Las Vegas have not been smooth, with training camp being postponed, followed by the resignation of coach Brad Donald. Donald coached for eight years, building the Australian women's national team into a formidable force, but he was criticized for not selecting NRLW Dally M Medal winner Olivia Kernick and for allegedly making disparaging remarks to a journalist.

Assistant coach Jesse Skinner is currently serving as interim head coach. Gale says she believes the foundation Donald built is fantastic and Skinner will only build on that. All the players greatly respect this and have adapted to the change of coach, and she doesn't think it will affect the team's performance.

There have been calls to consider appointing high-profile retired players such as Andrew Johns or Michael Ennis as head coach to attract more attention. But Gale believes the next permanent head coach must have a solid track record in women's rugby. She thinks the suggestion of having a symbolic male rugby league legend as the coach of the Australian women's national team is ill-considered.

Gale hopes that 2025 can inspire more international women's rugby matches. She says she hopes the Australian women's national team remains number one in the world, but also hopes that there are 10 other countries close behind. Events like the one in Las Vegas can generate global interest and elevate the sport.