The Wallaroos have a week to go to prepare for their opening match of the Rugby World Cup, which will see them take the field at Salford Community Stadium in Manchester.
Bree-Anna Browne has made her way back into the side after 2024 saw her on the sidelines recovering from an ACL injury, with the prop impressing in Australia A’s victory over Samoa earlier in the year.
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However, getting on the field is more than personal for Browne, having been selected in the squad for New Zealand, but never taking the field.
‘To be here, it definitely makes me hungry and want it more than anything,” Browne told reporters on Saturday evening.
“I went to the World Cup in New Zealand and unfortunately didn't play…If I leave here not playing, then that's what it's meant to be. Either way, to me, I'm here with this team and I'm growing with them as well.
“Every training session, you're fighting for a spot in a good way. We're all very competitive. We all want that starting jersey.
It can be quite tough playing against each other, especially against scrums or in those areas. Credit to Sam [Needs] and what he's done with us, especially in the front row. I can see a massive difference from where we were and where we are now, especially our maul defence.”
The positive growth in the Wallaroo program compared to the New Zealand World Cup has been noted by several players, including captain Emily Chancellor.
It is a sentiment shared by Browne, who has had to work hard to get back into the regular set up.
“Coming back into the squad, I feel like the connection that we have is a lot stronger than it was back then,” the 13-capped Wallaroo acknowledged.
“I feel like we're more of a family now and we're connected a lot more when we're on and off the field, which is a huge, huge part of being a team and playing together.
“2025 has been probably one of the most challenging years, coming back to the sport I love. Not only mentally but physically.
“I'm pushing boundaries that I haven't since being injured and coming back. I'm being tested all the time. But I was extremely happy to get selected for the Pacific Four Series at the beginning of the year and I just wanted to be selected.
“I wanted to play, I wanted to start. And then I wanted to go to the World Cup. So for me, it was just like ticking off stepping stones as we went through the year.
“The ultimate goal was obviously to come and play, get selected for the World Cup, then the next goal is to play in the World Cup. So I'm just chipping off those little goals as we go.”
Browne’s day job of serving as a corporal in the Australian Army has also provided invaluable skills for helping develop her progression.
“I'm on duty technically when I'm over here, which is absolutely awesome,” Browne said of her employers.
“They are a big supporter of women's rugby in general, but a big supporter of me.
"They're tuning into all the games. They've got them downpat as to what time they need to watch. One of my sergeants that I've worked with this year, he's over in York at the moment.
"He'll be over to watch us play, which is really, really awesome that a small workplace like that can really get behind you and support you. It means the absolute world.
“There's a lot of high pressure situations [in the Army] where you need to be calm, under pressure to think clearly, to react.
“Being a corporal in the army, I have to give commands to my soldiers. So for me, I have to be level-headed. I have to be calm.
“I have to assess the situation to be able to clearly give them orders. That's something that I take on the field. When moments are heightened or things aren't going our way, I am able to calm and assess the situation, figure out what I need to do or maybe the team needs to do and go from there.”
Australia will be considered favourites for their opener against Samoa, with the Australia A side picking up a 50-22 win over Manusina at Viking Park in June.
However, with pressure to perform, Browne has admitted the side is leaning into it - and knows they need to execute if they look to improve on their quarter final finish in New Zealand.
“It's a privilege to go to any World Cup, but to go to your second one, I think there's a little bit more pressure,” Browne said.
“The pressure is there, definitely, but we're leaning into it.
“We want to set a platform for the rest of the world that this is what the Wallaroos can bring to the world stage. We want to perform our absolute best, so it's no different to playing Wales or Canada or New Zealand here.
“We're treating it [Samoa] like any other game performance-wise.”
