There are some familiar faces in the line-up, including Wallaroos Ashleigh Hewson, Grace Hamilton, Emily Robinson, Chloe Leaupepe and Alexandra Sulusi.

“It’s a fantastic initiative, and one of the advantages that rugby union has over all other codes is that it has an established pathway,” Baumann said.

“This really is the icing on a cake that has undertaken a lot of work to get to where it is today in the inordinate growth and success of women’s rugby in the last few years. It’s been capped off by a fully fledged Super W competition and we are 100% supportive of the growth of the women’s game in Australia.

“Through the addition of the Women’s NRC, we were able to identify certain women who came to the trials and have now progressed to the provincial Super W level. The NRC provides a genuine pathway into this squad with admissions from the NSW Country Eagles.”

NSW Women’s Super W squad:

 Katrina Barker  
 Iliseva Batibasaga  
 Nat Crow 
 Laura Devereux 
 Josephine Falesita 
 Aaliyah Fasavalu-Fa'amausili

 Melissa Fatu
 Alafou Fatu
 Grace Hamilton
 Ashleigh Hewson
 Evelyn Horomia  
 Fi Jones
 Ariana Kaiwai
 Atasi Lafai
 Sarah Laman
 Kirrily Laws
 Chloe Leaupepe
 Natalie Maclarn
 Crystal Maguire
 Cobie-Jane Morgan
 Pareake O’Brien
 Shanice Parker  
 Emily Robinson
 Tasmin Sheppard
 Talaopatina Sio
 Ana-Lise Sio
 Alexandra Sulusi
 Nancy Vaiaku
 Inge Visser
 Mardi Watts