Lt Jen Egan, the only army representative in the Wallaroos women's rugby team, warms up before the first match against Great Britain in a ten-day carnival. Lt Egan, from 21 Const Sqn, was a reserve for the Wallaroos and ran on for the Australia-A side.

The Army was recently represented in the highest echelons of Australian women's rugby with one member chosen for the Wallaroos team.

Lt Jen Egan, 21 Const Sqn, said that making the Wallaroos team was something she aspired to through her rugby career.

She made the team after a rigorous selection program.

"Last year at the Women's Internationals, the selectors picked a squad of 50 girls and had a training camp in December," she said.

"As a result of various state matches this year they narrowed the squad to a 22-member team for the Wallaroos and another 10 for the Australia-A side."

Lt Egan's rugby union experience is extensive, but not, she said, as extensive as other players in the Wallaroos.

"In 1997 I played for ASRU, from 1998 to 2000 I played for ACT and hopefully this year I'll play for ASRU and I am taking part in the tri-service ruby carnival."

She said players in the Wallaroos are required to play both club rugby and be in a state team. For the three other ADF members - from navy, ASRU is considered a state team.

Training includes a three-day a week weights program, several fitness sessions and training camps.

Despite this arduous schedule, in a recent carnival against the British Lionesses the Wallaroos came out savaged.

The Wallaroos fought a good fight but weren't able to defeat the British Lionesses. In the first test they scored 19 to 41.

Lt Egan said playing such formidable opponents made the game even more challenging.

"It's some of the hardest rugby I've played," she said.

"The game was excellent, the British are extremely professional and extremely strong both in terms of their skill and their fitness."

She said that three games against the women's British teams were played as part of a 10-day carnival that started late May.

As a reserve in the Wallaroos games Lt Egan had the chance to slog it out in the Australia-A team.

Lt Egan said playing against the British was a fantastic experience and something she had worked for for a long time.

By PTE Simone Heyer-Irwin