Miller vows Waratahs will silence Reds in Super Rugby Women's finals showdown

Desiree Miller has called the Waratahs’ clash with the Queensland Reds their own “State of Origin” as New South Wales look to bounce back from a historic defeat and cement their place at the top of the Super Rugby Women’s standings in the final round of the regular season.

The Waratahs suffered their first loss to an Australian side in nine years last weekend, going down 28-21 to the Western Force — a result that has reshuffled the finals picture heading into the final round of fixtures. The Force’s victory over the Waratahs was the first time any Australian side had beaten the women in sky blue, a fact that Miller acknowledged had stung.

“It was disappointing to come away with a loss,” Miller told RugbyPass. “It’s taken nine years for another team to do it. And I think it just fuelled the fire a little bit more.”

The Waratahs host Queensland at Leichhardt Oval with the Reds needing a win — combined with a Force victory in Canberra — to qualify for the semi-finals. The Fijian Drua have already secured their finals berth after a commanding 50-17 win over the Reds last week.

Miller, who will wear the vice-captain armband and retain her kicking duties, said the defeat had exposed individual errors rather than systemic failures, and that the squad had used the week to sharpen the details.

“There was a lot of individual errors and a lot of things that wasn’t a failure to our system, just a failure to our execution,” she said. “In the past we’ve been able to grind through that. But Australian rugby is getting better and the teams around us are getting better, so we need to be able to step up and stop that gap from closing.”

The Wallaroo winger added that the loss had ultimately served as a valuable lesson. “There’s a lot of learnings that I think maybe we might not have picked up on as strongly if we came by with a close win. It’s a big learning curve, but I think for the better.”

Queensland will arrive in Sydney with reinforcements, welcoming back Lori Cramer into the starting side alongside Sevens star Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea. Charlie Brigstocke is set to make her debut on the wing.

The Waratahs are also bolstered by returning experience. Emily Chancellor, who recently captained the Barbarians against Wales, is among four changes to the starting XV, joined by Bridie O’Gorman, Ruby Anderson, and Martha Harvey.

For Miller, the fixture carries a weight beyond the standings. “It’s kind of our own State of Origin, if you would,” she said. “It’s a long-lasting rivalry and healthy competition between the two of us. It’s always a physical match and always a really good battle. It’s something I look forward to each year.”