Harmony Vatau is inching closer to committing her future to Australia, rather than Samoa, with her inclusion in the Queensland Reds women’s squad for the Santos Festival of Rugby in Roma.
The standout women’s player in Queensland this season is part of a 33-strong Reds squad named today to prepare for the match against the NSW Waratahs in Roma on September 19.
In declaring her availability, she opted out of selection for the WXV Global Series Challenger in Hong Kong where Samoa is due to play The Netherlands, Spain and Hong Kong China later this month.
Instead, the versatile back will focus on the Reds’ next mission in Roma beside housemate and centre Iron Talia, a first-time selection.
The Melbourne-raised duo made it a first season to remember in Queensland with their starring roles for Sunnybank in last weekend’s pulsating 27-25 victory over Bond University to claim the Sumo Energy Founders Cup at Ballymore Stadium.
Vatau won the Selena Worsley Medal as Player of the Grand Final to cap a stellar month in which she was also awarded the Shannon Parry Medal as Reds Player of the Year.
Eva Karpani, Tiarah Minns, Ava Wereta, Jemma Bemrose and first-time inclusion Piper Flynn were all unavailable because they fly out on Thursday with the Wallaroos for Tests against England, France and Scotland in the WXV Global Series.
The final squad will be trimmed to 25 players for Roma which is an important building block for planning heading towards the 2027 season.
A strong core of 15 players from the Super Rugby Women’s squad has been selected with additional opportunities for well-performed club players, adaptable sevens players, Queensland Country product Lanelle Maui and schoolgirl standouts.
Backrower Maui (Norths), winger Maya McKellar (Easts) and lock Meleana Tafa (Sunnybank) are the three rising schoolgirl talents selected in the initial squad.
Maui attends The Glennie school in Toowoomba and her dynamic ball-carrying caught the eye of Reds Head Coach Andrew Fraser late last year.
The athletic Laylani Va’ai, an eye-catching lock-backrower from Wests, is another project player of real potential.
Fraser said it was important to reward high-performers from the Founders Cup with selection for Roma.
“Players like (flanker) Shannon Simon, (prop) Olivia Warlow and Iron Talia have been good all year but built undeniable claims in the finals. (Fullback) Vitalina Naikore caught fire,” Fraser said.
“(Winger) Eva Doblo showed her pace in the grand final. Again, her case was quality.
“We had a historic breakthrough in July with Queensland’s first win over NSW in Super Rugby Women’s and we are focussed on continuing that momentum with a strong team performance in Roma.
“We have a good mix of experienced players and newer girls who will have an exciting opportunity at the Santos Festival of Rugby."
The match in Roma will be Fraser’s sign-off as Queensland women’s coach after two productive seasons.
Reaching the Super Rugby Women’s grand final in 2025 and the landmark victory over NSW in Sydney this season will always be worthy high points of the united, ambitious squads he guided.
"I will always hold incredibly fond memories of Queensland,” Fraser said.
"For the past two years, I have been living a dream - training, working and spending each week at Ballymore alongside the wonderful people who bring the place to life. My boyhood dreams of Ballymore have played out week after week and I will cherish this chapter of my life for many years to come.”
Dominika Baleingasau | Wests
Kieran Berry | University of Queensland
Dillyn Blackburn | Wests
Hayley Glass | University of Queensland
Zoe Hanna | Bond University
Matauimalo Malele Iafeta | University of Queensland
Dani Martens | Wests
Lanelle Maui | Norths
Indya McWilliam | Bond University
Paris Mohr | Bond University
Tiarna Molloy | Brothers
Jordan Neal | Brothers
Zophronia Setu | University of Queensland
Iron Talia | Sunnybank
Laylani Va’ai | Wests
OIivia Warlow | Sunnybank
Eva Doblo | Bond University
Sarah Dougherty | GPS
Melita Hicks | University of Queensland
Leilani Hills | Easts
Kahotea Taleah | University of Queensland
Maya McKellar | Easts
Darcy Milfull | Wests
Vitalina Naikore | Sunnybank
Reese Orcher | GPS
Kaelyn Passi | Bond University
Evie Sampson | Bond University
Aroha Spillane | University of Queensland
Shannon Symon | Sunnybank
Meleana Tafa | Sunnybank
Alekermay Tuaana | Wests
Harmony Vatau | Sunnybank
Charity Wightman-Beaven | University of Queensland
