Wallaroos prop Eva Karpani set to earn 50th cap against Scotland in Canberra

Eva Karpani will make history on Saturday when she earns her 50th Wallaroos cap against Scotland in Canberra, becoming only the second Australian woman ever to reach the milestone. The tighthead prop, who debuted seven years ago, will come off the bench as Australia chase a third consecutive win over the Scots in their final WXV Global Series Test.

Michaela Leonard became the first Australian woman to bring up a half-century of appearances when the Wallaroos faced Scotland late last month, and Karpani is now set to join her in exclusive company. Wallaroos captain Siokapesi Palu Sekona arrived at Thursday’s press conference wearing a T-shirt celebrating the achievement, making clear how much the squad values the occasion.

“It’s super exciting. Everyone’s just keen to get around and celebrate things like that. The second Wallaroo ever in history to reach that is super cool,” Palu Sekona told reporters. “Like Mac, she’s been also a very consistent piece throughout the Wallaroos. She scores more tries than these bloody backs, so she will definitely get a lot of praise for that already.”

Karpani is the third-highest try-scorer in Wallaroos history, behind only outside backs Desiree Miller and Maya Stewart. She underlined her attacking threat last weekend at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, crossing for a 79th-minute try as Australia defeated Scotland. The front-rower has also represented her country at two Rugby World Cups, including last year’s record-breaking tournament in England.

The match in Canberra carries added emotional weight as it marks the farewell of two experienced Wallaroos. The programme announced this week that former captain Emily Chancellor and Cecilia Smith both plan to retire from Test rugby. Chancellor has been selected for two Rugby World Cups, while Smith — who also appeared at the tournaments in New Zealand and England — earned Player of the Match honours after a record 73-0 win over Samoa last year.

“They bring so much to the game,” Palu Sekona said. “[Smith] and [Chancellor] have had so much to do for this game, and not even just as Wallaroos but domestically throughout Australia. We just want to put on a performance that they’ll be proud of and that we’ll be proud of.”