Wallaroos teen Ellis earns maiden fly-half start against Black Ferns great Demant in historic 100th Test

Waiaria Ellis will make her first start at fly-half for the Wallaroos on Saturday, facing one of the sport’s most decorated players in Black Ferns captain Ruahei Demant — a milestone occasion that doubles as the 100th Test in Wallaroos history.

The 18-year-old originally broke into the national squad as a winger, debuting against the Black Ferns in Wellington last July. Her shift to the No. 10 jersey reflects both her development and the confidence Australia’s coaching staff have placed in her after a standout Super Rugby Women’s campaign with the NSW Waratahs, where she helped steer the side to a third consecutive title before they narrowly lost the Champions Final 24-17 to the Blues in Sydney.

“I’m a bit nervous,” Ellis told reporters on Thursday. “Growing up, when we were watching the Black Ferns and Wallaroos, Ruahei Demant was definitely someone that I looked up to. Even my mum, when we versed the Blues, she was like, ‘Bubba, get me a photo of Ruahei Demant.’ She’s just such a world-class player.”

Demant’s reputation is well earned. The Black Ferns playmaker co-captained New Zealand to Rugby World Cup glory in 2022 alongside Kennedy Tukuafu, was named World Rugby Player of the Year, and received the prestigious Kelvin R. Tremain Memorial Player of the Year accolade — a résumé Ellis acknowledged with candid admiration.

“Just being up against her… I never thought I’d be here, up against one of the greatest of all time,” Ellis said. “Just knowing I’m there, having belief in myself as well that I can do a job hopefully one day like her, it’s amazing. It’s pretty surreal, I’d say.”

Ellis will partner with halfback Tia Hinds, a combination that showed promise during the Waratahs’ run-in. Hinds brings considerable cross-code experience — she captained the Australia Sevens side and was selected for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup squad before returning to the shorter format, where she helped Australia claim the HSBC SVNS World Championship title in Bordeaux.

“Just having her on the field with me, I think she brings a lot of confidence,” Ellis said of Hinds. “She’s obviously a very experienced rugby player, whether that’s in sevens or 15s. The speed of the game that she brings really helps suit my game as well because I love playing with speed.”

For Ellis, the occasion carries a weight that goes beyond personal milestones. Stepping into the playmaking role for a landmark Test against the world’s best side, opposite a player she grew up idolising, the teenager appears to be embracing the pressure rather than shrinking from it.