Winners of the Australian Super W competition, beating Fiji in the grand final, the Waratahs face the Aucklanders, who won New Zealand's Super Rugby Aupiki competition.
The champion teams will square off at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday afternoon.Desiree Miller has been ruled out with a calf injury suffered in the victory over the Fijian Drua, opening the door for Waratahs Player of the Year Whitaker to return to the first XV.
The teenage flyer, who is the niece of Waratahs legend Chris Whitaker, scored a double coming off the bench in their 34-17 title triumph.Lusiana Vesikula joins the bench in the only other change to the side that defeated the Drua on their home turf to claim a third-straight Super Rugby Women's title last Saturday.
The match-up is a repeat of last year's inaugural Champions Final, which the Blues won 36-5 in Auckland.
NSW coach Mike Ruthven said his players had kept their focus following the physical win in Fiji."The players have responded really well following the grand final to embrace the challenge and opportunity in front of us this weekend," Ruthven said."Compared to last year, I feel there's a different mindset and a different vibe around the playing group approaching the Champions Final."Our focus this week has purely been on why and how we can win this game of footy."We know the challenge that the Blues present but it's a challenge that we're genuinely excited to take on."
NSW: Brianna Hoy, Brittany Merlo, Faliki Pohiva, Leilani Nathan, Kaitlan Leaney, Ruby Anderson, Emily Chancellor (c), Piper Duck,Tia Hinds. Waiaria Ellis, Amelia Whitaker, Rosie Ferguson, Pleuni Kievit, Maya Stewart, Caitlyn Halse. Res: Nancy Volkman, Emily Robinson, Bridie O'Gorman, Grace Gillies, Nicole Nathan, Taj Heald, Piper Simons, Lusiana Vesikula.
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