Wallaroos skipper Grace Hamilton is expecting a waterfall of emotions to flood over her when she takes her Australian side's reins for the first time on Saturday afternoon, and the fact she'll do so at Newcastle isn't lost on the bullocking back-rower.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Saturday's clash against Japan is a rare chance for the Wallaroos to play a Test outside of a capital city and considering the Panuara-born No.8 has never made any secret of her goal to help grow the game in regional areas, that will make her captaincy debut all the more special.
"I spent a lot of time in Newcastle (too) so for me, bringing a Test match to Newcastle just broadens the horizon for girls out in the country," the 27-year-old beamed.
I don't know what it's going to feel like, but I just can't wait to get out there.
- Grace Hamilton on leading the Wallaroos for the first time
"Girls who come to our game on Saturday will be like 'I want to be there one day' and I hope they are because country girls are good girls to have in the team."
That desire to inspire has always been a focal point of Hamilton's glittering career, which was kick-started during a university exchange program to the USA and now includes 11 Test caps, World Cup appearances and two Super W titles to boot.
That will amplify now she's captaining her country, because she can continue to act as a source of inspiration for aspiring female players she never had growing up.
"There wasn't a lot of women's rugby when I was growing up. There might have been some but it wasn't something that was really on the sporting scene in the Central West, whereas now I know it's growing and going from strength-to-strength," Hamilton said, during her Waratahs' Super W visit to Bathurst earlier this year.
"It's something I'd obviously like to ... try and help build it ten-fold.
"It will be good, woah, I'm getting emotional (just thinking about leading the Wallaroos).
"I don't know what it's going to feel like, but I just can't wait to get out there. This jersey means so much to me and my family and everyone who has supported me."
The Australians have met first-time visitors Japan previously, Hamilton playing a starring role as her side downed the Cherry Blossoms 21-15 at the 2017 World Cup in Ireland.
"Japan are tough and in the World Cup they came at us," Hamilton said.
"I remember standing behind the goal posts saying we need to stick to our structures and we need to come out firing because they are very structured and they will come at us.
"We've just got to go out there, do our best and put our best foot forward."
Hamilton has, as expected, been named at No.8 to lock the Wallaroos' scrum at Newcastle's No.2 Sportsground, with coach Dwayne Nestor including 11 uncapped players in the squad, doing so with an eye on the 2021 World Cup.
Nine of them will debut on Saturday.
"There's some new girls, which is lovely to see, there's so much depth within Australia now," Hamilton said.
Japan have not played a Test since the international tournament two years ago and Cherry Blossoms captain Saki Minami said her squad was not only looking forward to getting back on the field but also trying to reverse the result against Australia.
"This will be our first match since the 2017 World Cup, playing against an international side, so we are very excited to play again and have been preparing well," Minami said.
"We lost at the World Cup, but we are trying to beat the Wallaroos this time."
Hamilton will skipper Australia against Japan again next Friday at North Sydney Oval as well before the Wallaroos' two-game series against New Zealand.
The seventh-ranked Wallaroos are locked into the Women's Rugby Super Series in San Diego next year.
Saturday's Test kicks off at 3pm.
- WALLAROOS: 1 Emily Robinson, 2 Averyl Mitchell, 3 Evelyn Horomia, 4 Micheala Leonard, 5 Alisha Hewitt, 6 Millie Boyle, 7 Emily Chancellor, 8 Grace Hamilton (c), 9 Cobie-Jane Morgan, 10 Trileen Pomare, 11 Mhicca Carter, 12 Ariana Hira-Herangi, 13 Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea, 14 Samantha Treherne, 15 Mahalia Murphy; Bench: 16 Ashley Marsters, 17 Liz Patu, 18 Eva Karpani, 19 Rebecca Clough, 20 Shannon Mato, 21 Georgia Cormick, 22 Arabella McKenzie, 23 Lori Cramer
WANT MORE ORANGE NEWS AND SPORT?
- Receive our free newsletters delivered to your inbox, as well as breaking news alerts. Sign up below ...