Shannon Mato to face former team Australia in World Cup final
The New Zealand prop won the previous tournament with the Jillaroos and now has the chance to claim consecutive titles for different nations.
Shannon Mato will line up for New Zealand against Australia in the women’s World Cup final at Suncorp Stadium, four years after helping the Jillaroos beat the Kiwi Ferns 54-4 at Old Trafford.
The 28-year-old prop could become the first player to win successive Rugby League World Cups for different countries. New Zealand centre Dane Gagai, a member of Australia’s 2017 title-winning team, has the same opportunity in the men’s final.
Mato moved from New Zealand to Australia as a teenager. She said becoming a mother prompted her decision to represent her birth country, with eligibility rules changing five months after her son, Charnze-Pati, was born.
She said she wanted her son to know another language and described a struggle with her identity while living away from her language and people. Mato also expressed gratitude for the opportunities Australia had given her family and for her experience with the Jillaroos.
Australian fullback Tamika Upton, meanwhile, said her focus would be on team tactics rather than a personal contest with New Zealand counterpart Apii Nichols.
Upton, a five-time NRLW champion, withdrew from Australia’s successful 2022 campaign after playing through a calf problem late that season. She said missing the tournament was difficult but remained the right decision for her recovery.
