Michaela Leonard is the current Wallaroos Captain and is one of the most experienced players in Australian history, with 32 test caps to her name. She took over the captaincy in 2023 and has led her side to victory in the WXV2 tournament that recently wrapped up in Cape Town.
On the podcast, we discuss the WXV2 tournament and the journey leading up to it. Michaela opens up about the mindset the team had at the start, their goals of maintaining their world ranking, and ultimately aiming to win the WXV2 title. We dive into the crucial warm-up games against Ireland and Wales, and how those matches shaped the team’s learnings and prepared them for the upcoming challenges in Cape Town. As captain, Michaela shares her ongoing leadership journey, highlighting the strength that comes from collaboration. She also gives a special nod to the strong leadership surrounding her, underscoring how empowering each other is key to the team’s success.
In a fascinating twist, Michaela also reflects on her transition from basketball to rugby and how she went from never watching a rugby union game to now becoming a key figure in a sport she truly loves. We learn so much about how she found her way into the sport, through changing what she was studying, to just showing up to her first training session and how rugby has given her a life she loves. Encouraging us to follow our own goals and dreams without limiting ourselves, the emotion of her passion is so palpable.
In addition, we explore Michaela’s career as a vet physiotherapist and her deep love for animals, before diving into what’s next for the team as they set their sights on the Rugby World Cup in 2025. With so much rugby still to be played, I ask Michaela how is the team feeling about their pool? And how are they feeling about playing England on English soil within the pool matches? And how much growth, exposure and support does women’s 15’s rugby have in Australia? This episode is packed with insights on leadership, resilience, and following your passion—whether on the field, in your career, or in life from the Wallaroos captain Michaela Leonard. Tune in for a conversation that’s as inspiring as it is heartfelt.