From economy to equality: Wallaroos take off for World Cup
The squad collectively penned a social media post highlighting a lack of support, including flying economy and the absence of a full-time coach, in comparison to the Wallabies.
Former England international Jo Yapp was appointed as the Wallaroos' first full-time coach in February 2024 and believes that improved travel conditions are essential to help her 32-player squad compete in a tough pool that includes England, the United States and Samoa.
'Going business class has huge performance implications, because it allows us to hit the ground running earlier when we arrive,' Yapp said.
'But also how it makes the players feel from a mental and a value perspective, I think that also has a massive impact, which is no more than they deserve.
'They're going to a World Cup, and they've been training exceptionally hard, so feeling valued is also a massive thing.'
Emily Chancellor captained the Wallaroos in Friday's 36-5 win over Wales at North Sydney Oval and is proud of the journey the team has been on since she joined the squad a decade ago.
'It's a huge statement from Rugby Australia and World Rugby to invest in us and I think for the Kiwi girls to also fly business class because of the length of the trip, and I hope it's going to have a really great positive impact on the players' feeling of worth but also on performance,' Chancellor said.
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