Kiwi Ferns players officially welcomed former Jillaroos stars Shannon Mato and Kennedy Cherrington into the fold as they began preparations for Rugby League World Cup 2026 ahead of the NRLW season.

New Zealand players and staff met in Sydney last Saturday to discuss plans for the World Cup and build connections with new members of the squad, including Mato and Cherrington, who have switched allegiances after the International Rugby League removed tiering for women’s teams.

“We want to be better this year, and I reckon that camp was a great start for us,” Warriors captain and star fullback Apii Nicholls said.

“It was good to connect with a lot of the Sydney-based players and some players that I'd never met before, to see where we are at and what our goals are heading into the World Cup.”

The Kiwi Ferns open their World Cup campaign against Fiji in Newcastle on October 18 before hosting France at Christchurch’s new indoor stadium on October 25 and taking on Papua New Guinea on the Gold Coast on October 31.

After featuring in every Women’s World Cup final but losing the last three to Australia, the Kiwi Ferns are aiming to lift the trophy at Suncorp Stadium on November 15.

“We had a connection camp on Saturday, and it was just really like a contact point before we head into the NRW season,” Titans and Kiwi Ferns captain Georgia Hale said.

“We're all at our respective clubs, and the Kiwi Ferns definitely give us space throughout the season, but as we all live abroad and away from home, to have the chance to connect with the girls has in itself has been cup filling.

“It just really brought a spark in me, and I’m very excited for the World Cup, but I’m also excited to have an NRLW season that can put the Kiwi Ferns in really good stead as we see so many girls at NRLW clubs and in really good systems.”

Photo: Warriors captain Apii Nicholls and Titans skipper Georgia Hale were among the Kiwi Ferns stars who attended a connection camp in Sydney ahead of the NRLW season. @NRL Photos

Hale, Nicholls and St George Illawarra’s Brooke Anderson are captains of their respective clubs and there are other New Zealand players in leadership positions across the NRLW, including Broncos prop Brianna Clarke, who represented the premiers at Monday’s NRLW launch in Sydney.

Mato, who is making her return for the Broncos after missing last season while pregnant with son xxxx, and Cherrington also bring experience and an understanding of what it takes to be successful on the game’s biggest stage after being members of the 2022 World Cup winning Jillaroos side.

“I know that deep down inside, they've always wanted to represent their country and their family, so it was good to have them at our camp,” Nicholls said.

“They got an insight into who we are and what we do, and we just really welcomed them with open arms because they are family, they are from New Zealand.

“For us, it's exciting because obviously they used to play for the Jillaroos and they bring a lot of experience. They're very passionate and I think I think it's about more than just rugby league for them; it's about their family and where they come from.

“You could tell that everything they spoke about was from the heart and you know that this year is going to be a big one for them. They have got to earn their spots, and I know that they will because you can just tell from the way they speak that they are really invested and they want to be there.”

With more stars expected to put their hand up to represent their Kiwi heritage and the likes of Stacey Waaka, Sariah Paki and Madison Ashby, who have returned to the game from rugby sevens, also being eligible, the competition for places in Ricky Henry’s World Cup squad will be fierce.

Photo: Kiwi Ferns forward Brooke Anderson will captain the Dragons this season. @NRL Photos

“If you look across the game at how many girls are tied to New Zealand, there are contenders across the board so it's just going to be, ‘we're all Kiwi girls and we're all fighting for a spot’,” Hale said.

“We're all fighting for that end goal of winning the World Cup and that healthy competition is only going to make ourselves better and our sister next to us better, so I think it puts the game in New Zealand in really good stead.

“It adds competition for jerseys, it adds another layer of professionalism and experience, so it is really going to give Ricky a headache - and a nightmare at that - because he's got so many great candidates to choose from.”

Anderson, who played for Australia in rugby sevens but chose to represent her mother’s nation of birth after she joined the NRLW, backed the IRL’s decision to allow players who were eligible for New Zealand or England to switch from the Jillaroos.

“The Australian squad is amazing and we are trying to bridge this gap, so I think that by opening up the rules it is only going to make the international game better,” Anderson said.

“We can really use players like Shannon and Kennedy in the Kiwi Ferns, so it is going to be really exciting to see how the squad for the World Cup turns out.

“This is what it should have been like from the start, let people represent where they come from and where they are passionate about representing and I think the game will go to the next level this year at the World Cup.”

Rugby League World Cup 2026 returns to Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. Where nations clash, heroes rise, and legends are forged. 3 World Cups. 26 Teams. The World’s Best. Tickets are now on sale from $19. Don’t miss the pinnacle of global Rugby League.