Wallaroos pick youngster as World Cup prep builds
Urwin and 17-year-old Ellis were the only two uncapped players named in the Australian national rugby women's squad, with the duo given their chance after producing a strong display for Australia A in last week's 50-22 victory over Samoa.
Ellis toured with the Wallaroos in South Africa last year but was unable to earn a Test cap, while Urwin joins the national squad for the first time.
The pair join Western Force star Samantha Wood and Waratahs quartet Annabelle Codey, Piper Duck, Brianna Hoy and Maya Stewart as fresh faces in the squad following the Pacific Four series.
Wood, Duck, Hoy and Stewart all return from injury in a boost ahead of the Rugby World Cup in England, which starts in August.
Codey earns a recall to the Wallaroos squad for the first time since 2023, while Siokapesi Palu will continue to captain the side with Emily Chancellor as her vice-captain.
The Wallaroos take on the Black Ferns in Wellington on July 12 for their second O'Reilly Cup clash of the year before hosting Wales on July 26 in Brisbane and August 1 at North Sydney Oval.
A squad of 32 will be selected for the World Cup following the clash at North Sydney before the Wallaroos depart for the United Kingdom on August 11.
The Wallaroos' first World Cup match is against Samoa on August 23 in Manchester.
"We're excited about the squad selected with players returning from injury and the likes of Caitlin Urwin and Waiaria Ellis deserving of their opportunity to take the next step with us this year," Wallaroos coach Jo Yapp said.
"New Zealand will provide another physical challenge and playing Wales twice on home soil leading into the World Cup will lay a good foundation ahead of the tournament."
The world No.6 Wallaroos started the Test year with a 43-7 win over Fiji on May 3.
They got beaten 38-12 by world No.3 New Zealand, before rebounding to beat world No.9 US 27-19.
World No.2 Canada handed Australia a reality check with a 45-7 thrashing in Brisbane, but the Wallaroos will start as favourites when they host world No.10 Wales across two matches.
WALLAROOS SQUAD: Katalina Amosa, Bree-Anna Browne, Charlotte Caslick, Emily Chancellor, Annabelle Codey, Lori Cramer, Piper Duck, Waiaria Ellis, Ashley Fernandez, Caitlyn Halse, Georgina Friedrichs, Tia Hinds, Brianna Hoy, Asoiva Karpani, Lydia Kavoa, Kaitlan Leaney, Michaela Leonard, Ashley Marsters, Desiree Miller, Faitala Moleka, Layne Morgan, Tania Naden, Bridie O'Gorman, Siokapesi Palu, Faliki Pohiva, Trilleen Pomare, Cecilia Smith, Maya Stewart, Adiana Talakai, Tabua Tuinakauvadra, Caitlin Urwin, Samantha Wood.
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