Riverina
Piper Duck overcomes brutal injury run to score second World Cup call-up
FROM the paddocks of the Riverina to the pinnacle of international rugby, the rise of 24-year-old Piper Duck has been anything but ordinary — and now, she’s set to do it all again on the world stage.
Originally from Junee, the Tumut-raised flanker has been named in Australia’s squad for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England — marking her second appearance at the sport’s most prestigious tournament.
But for Duck, this moment is not just a reward for talent — it’s a hard-earned triumph of perseverance, passion, and grit in the face of adversity.
“It’s honestly so surreal,” Duck said at this week’s Wallaroos press conference.
“I am very excited to be hopping on that plane — it’s a dream come true. I’m really honoured and privileged.”
“It’s something I’ve been working really hard for — especially this last two and a half years through injuries and everything I’ve been dealing with.”
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A History-Making Career Still in Flight
Duck made headlines in 2023 when, at just 22 years old, she became the youngest-ever captain in Wallaroos history, placing her among the elite of Australian sport — a powerful symbol of leadership in a growing women’s game.
But long before she was donning the gold jersey, Duck was making her mark on local fields across the Riverina.
Born in Wagga and raised in Junee for the first six years of her life, Duck later moved to Tumut with her family — where she excelled as a champion junior swimmer and eventually discovered rugby.
She completed most of her schooling at McAuley Catholic College in Tumut before boarding at Sydney’s Barker College.
Fast-forward to today, and Duck is one of just 17 players returning from the 2022 World Cup squad — now bringing not just experience, but the battle-hardened perspective of someone who has fought to be there.
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The Injuries That Nearly Derailed It All
Between 2022 and 2024, Duck endured a brutal run of injuries — first undergoing a syndesmosis reconstruction on her left ankle, then suffering a posterior dislocation of her shoulder just four games into her comeback.
The setbacks weren’t just physically taxing — they challenged her identity and resilience.
“I had that moment of, ‘Who am I? What am I doing?’ Because I had never not been Piper Duck without rugby,” she shared in a short-form feature video published to Instagram in July.
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Speaking in Monday’s press conference, Duck said it was her love for the game that kept her going.
“When I did my shoulder, I had to look in the mirror and ask, ‘Okay, what are my options?’ I refused to not be on that plane.”
Instead of retreating, she threw herself into rehab with a single-minded focus.
“I was at Waratahs or Rugby Australia nearly every day. I had an amazing support team,” she said.
“Even on days when I thought, ‘I can’t do it,’ or had that moment of doubt, I had physios telling me, ‘You will play the World Cup.’ That belief they had in me was huge.”
She began running just one week after her shoulder injury — driven by a determination to leave nothing to chance.
“I needed to know I had ticked every box, that I had done everything I possibly could do, and if I wasn’t selected, then I could live with that, because I know I put my best foot forward.”
Her determination hasn’t gone unnoticed — nor has the toll.
Speaking in July’s feature video, co-produced by Visuals by Maz and Sayas Media, Duck reflected on the physical and mental cost of her injuries and the privilege of playing for her country.
“Because of the amount of injuries I’ve had, I’ve had people come up to me and go, ‘Oh, is it time to hang up the boots?’”
“I’m 24. No — I’m not hanging up my boots. But that’s a genuine conversation I’ve had. I just don’t take any game for granted.
“Hundreds of thousands of girls play rugby around the world, in Australia, and I’m part of a special 32 that gets to pull on a gold jersey potentially. That in itself is extraordinary.”
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A Meteoric Rise
Remarkably, Duck only picked up a rugby ball for the first time nine years ago — a late start by elite standards. But her natural athleticism and hunger for the game saw her rise rapidly through the ranks.
She was selected for the national youth Sevens program, toured Los Angeles in 2021, made her Super W debut for the NSW Waratahs in 2020, and earned her first Wallaroos cap against Fiji in 2022.
Speaking in July’s feature video, Duck recalled the moment her rugby career changed forever.
“In 2019, I was playing AON Sevens with Sydney Uni and I got a call-up from the Wallaroos head coach,” she said.
“I was sitting in the boarding house at Barker studying for my HSC and got this random number on my phone. I pick it up and it was Dwayne Nester. I had no idea who he was. I said, “Oh, hi, sup?”.
“He told me they were taking a Wallaroos A-side to Fiji and there was a position in the back row.”
Despite having never played a game of 15-a-side rugby at the time, Duck jumped at the chance — even if the positions were still a mystery.
“I called my rugby coach at Barker and said, ‘They want me to play in the backs.’ I had no idea the back row was a forward’s position — I had no concept,” she laughed.
“I took the opportunity and haven’t looked back from there. I’ve loved every second of it.”
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Leadership Beyond Her Years
Known for her barnstorming carries, fearless defence, and signature pink headgear, Duck has become one of the most recognisable and respected players on the field.
But it was her poise off the field that would soon see her lead at the highest level.
In 2023, Wallaroos coach Jay Tregonning phoned her personally to offer the national captaincy — just one year into her international career.
Though shocked by the offer, Duck’s thoughtful and measured approach reflected a maturity well beyond her years — a trait Tregonning was specifically looking for.
“She’s got this amazing ability to connect with all people of the game in a calm and respectful way,” Tregonning said at the time.
“Sometimes it’s not an age thing, it’s a maturity thing and Piper has a lot for such a young person.”
“She can lead players on and off the field, in training and on game day and has an awesome rapport with everyone around her. To me, it’s important to not only be able to perform on the field exceptionally as Piper does, but to connect with all stakeholders involved in the team.”
Waratahs coach Campbell Aitken echoed those sentiments, having already handed her Super W captaincy earlier that year.
From a teenager with raw talent to a calm, commanding presence, Duck’s leadership now inspires the next generation of players across Australia.
“That jersey’s never really yours,” she reflected in July.
“You’re only a thread in that jersey — a placeholder for the next person. You’re just adding to the legacy every time you wear it. That’s what makes it so special.”
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A Role Model for the Next Generation
Duck’s resilience and humility have made her a role model not just in Junee and Tumut — but across the Australian rugby landscape.
When she’s not cheering her on from the sidelines, Duck’s biggest fan is watching proudly from home — her eight-year-old sister, who calls the national anthem “Piper’s song.”
“For her, it’s normal to see a female athlete playing rugby on TV,” Duck said. “That’s the legacy we’re building.”
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Duck is passionate about the future of women’s sport, believing there has never been a better time to be part of the game.
“If people aren’t investing in women’s sport now — rugby or not — they’re making a mistake,” she said. “It’s changing. It’s growing. And it’s the storytelling of the women in the game that’s drawing people in.”
Ready for the Global Stage
The Wallaroos will open their World Cup campaign in Salford on August 23 against Samoa — followed by matches against the USA (Aug 31) and host nation England (Sep 7).
With more than 300,000 tickets sold, the 2025 tournament is set to be the biggest in women’s rugby history.
Head coach Jo Yapp praised the squad’s journey and said the team is ready to showcase its strength.
“We have a very special group of people, diverse in culture, age and experience,” Yapp said in a statement.
“We are ready to perform on the global stage.”
Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh added that the momentum behind the Wallaroos reflects the sport’s rapid growth.
“This World Cup promises to be the biggest ever, ensuring women’s rugby continues to go from strength-to-strength as a global game,” he said.
“Jo has done a tremendous job with the team and we’ll be cheering them on.”
For Duck, the moment is personal.
“I remember when I had the honour to go watch the Matilda’s play at Accor stadium,” she said on Monday.
“I got emotional watching them sing the national anthem. I turned to someone and said, ‘Imagine if this was a game of women’s rugby?'”
“Now, to possibly stand there and sing the anthem in front of a crowd like that… I get goosebumps just thinking about it. I am so incredibly excited.”
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Small Town. Big Heart. Global Impact.
Junee may be a small town, but its contributions to Australian sport are anything but.
Duck joins a growing list of elite athletes from the region — a local girl whose determination and leadership have taken her from country fields to international arenas.
As the Wallaroos prepare to take on the world, there’s no doubt the Riverina — and the nation — will be watching proudly, cheering on a true ambassador for women’s sport.
Wallaroos World Cup Fixtures:
- August 23: Australia v Samoa — Salford, 9:00pm AEST
- August 31: Australia v USA — York, 4:30am AEST
- September 7: Australia v England — Brighton and Hove, 2:00am AEST
2025 Women’s World Cup Squad:
- Katalina Amosa (23, ACT Brumbies, Southern Districts, 6 caps)*
- Bree-Anna Browne (28, Queensland Reds, Brothers Rugby, 13 caps)
- Charlotte Caslick (30, Queensland Reds, Wests Bulldogs, 5 caps)*
- Emily Chancellor (33, NSW Waratahs, Sydney University, 30 caps)
- Annabelle Codey (28, NSW Waratahs, Easts Brisbane, 7 caps)*
- Lori Cramer (32, Queensland Reds, University of Queensland, 30 caps)
- Piper Duck (24, NSW Waratahs, Tumut Bullettes, 18 caps)
- Waiaria Ellis (17, NSW Waratahs, Blacktown Scorpions, 3 caps)*
- Ashley Fernandez (22, ACT Brumbies, Uni-North Owls, 4 caps)*
- Georgina Friedrichs (30, NSW Waratahs, Wests Bulldogs, 34 caps)
- Caitlyn Halse (18, NSW Waratahs, Camden Rams, 11 caps)*
- Tia Hinds (22, ACT Brumbies, Randwick, 6 caps)*
- Brianna Hoy (25, NSW Waratahs, Coffs Harbour Snappers, 8 caps)*
- Asoiva Karpani (29, Queensland Reds, Southern Suburbs, 37 caps)
- Lydia Kavoa (31, ACT Brumbies, Eastern Suburbs, 9 caps)*
- Kaitlan Leaney (24, NSW Waratahs, SCU Marlins, 31 caps)
- Michaela Leonard (30, Western Force, Tuggeranong Vikings, 38 caps)
- Ashley Marsters (31, Western Force, Boroondara, 41 caps)
- Desiree Miller (23, NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs, 19 caps)*
- Faitala Moleka (20, ACT Brumbies, Blacktown Scorpions, 21 caps)*
- Layne Morgan (26, Queensland Reds, Merewether Carlton, 36 caps)
- Tania Naden (33, ACT Brumbies, Uni-North Owls, 25 caps)
- Bridie O’Gorman (26, NSW Waratahs, Sydney University, 33 caps)
- Siokapesi Palu (28, ACT Brumbies, Uni-North Owls, 21 caps)
- Faliki Pohiva (23, NSW Waratahs, Blacktown Scorpions, 4 caps)*
- Trilleen Pomare (32, Western Force, Wanneroo, 40 caps)
- Cecilia Smith (31, Western Force, Leeton Dianas, 24 caps)
- Maya Stewart (25, NSW Waratahs, Nelson Bay Gropers, 18 caps)
- Adiana Talakai (26, NSW Waratahs, Sydney University, 18 caps)
- Tabua Tuinakauvadra (22, ACT Brumbies, Orange Emus, 18 caps)*
- Caitlin Urwin (25, Queensland Reds, Gympie Hammers, uncapped)**
- Samantha Wood (21, Western Force, Kalamunda Rugby, 7 caps)*
*denotes World Cup debutant
**denotes uncapped and World Cup debutant
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