Fijian flair, fanatical fans and frogs - the Queensland Reds women’s team is preparing to combat everything that a semi-final can throw at them on Saturday in Lautoka.
Team cohesion will at a high for the clash against the Fijian Drua now Swyftx Super Rugby Women’s has hit finals time.
Reds Head Coach Andrew Fraser today naming an unchanged starting side and a single tweak on the bench.
Wests hooker Mary Tuaana comes in on the bench for Ella Hopper as the back-up for in-form Roni Setu.
The Reds will harness the belief and confidence generated from their history-making 26-19 upset of the NSW Waratahs in Sydney which earned them this play-off chance.
“A lot of what we have spoken about is the internal game, the mindset. That win really proves it’s all kind of mental in a way,” Reds flyhalf Lori Cramer said.
“It’s not like we had any magic training or anything. We didn't get 100 times better in the week leading up to that game.
“It’s just how you prepare, how we turn up and put bodies on the line for each other and the jersey.
“So, yes, we got a lot of belief from that result in Sydney for what we face in Lautoka.” Cramer is one of the Reds’ women remaining from the side that upset the Drua 22-19 on the same field in Lautoka to open the 2025 season.
“We’re expecting a lot of noise and energy from the crowd. That’s obvious. It’s Fiji but it is also a historic day with the Drua women hosting a home semi-final for the first time,” Cramer said.
“It’ll be exciting, one to remember. We’ve spoken a bit about last year’s game for the girls who haven’t experienced playing in Fiji.
“There’s the crowd, the way the Drua do catch fire and things like frogs jumping around on the field before the game last year.”
Cramer’s cool as a playmaker was pivotal in the win over the Waratahs when it also brought out the best in former Wallaroos halfback Sarah Dougherty.
Fraser said the go-forward generated by the workrate, carries and tackling of forwards like Setu, captain Jemma Bemrose, Zoe Hanna and Dillyn Blackburn set a strong tone against the Waratahs that must be repeated.
“We’ve set the bar higher with the performance against the Waratahs. There were excellent performances across the field and the players will take extra belief into this game because of that result,” Fraser said.
“The wins in Fiji and Sydney over the past two seasons show how the Reds program has developed and demonstrates one of our core values of resilience.”
Churchill Park, Lautoka
11:05am AEST, Saturday
Watch Live on Stan Sport
1 Hayley Glass – University of Queensland
2 Zophronia Setu - University of Queensland
3 Eva Karpani - Bond University
4 Lucy Thorpe - Bond University
5 Jemma Bemrose (c) - Bond University
6 Zoe Hanna - Bond University
7 Dillyn Blackburn – Wests
8 Tiarna Molloy - Brothers
9 Sarah Dougherty - GPS
10 Lori Cramer – University of Queensland
11 Piper Flynn - Easts
12 Ava Wereta - Bond University
13 Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea - Australian Sevens
14 Charlie Brigstocke - GPS
15 Harmony Vatau - Sunnybank
16 Mary Tuaana - Wests
17 Jordan Neal - Brothers
18 Tanya Kalounivale - GPS
19 Vineta Teutau – Brothers
20 Sarah Riordan - Brothers
21 Evie Sampson - Bond University
22 Charity Wightman-Beaven - University of Queensland
23 Briana Dascombe – Easts
