Better than the boys: Waratahs teen star out to prove a point in Sunday’s Super Rugby grand final

Teen Waratahs’ star Caitlyn Halse has spent a lifetime proving herself against the boys, and as she prepares for a huge Super W grand final, she’s out to show women could be even better.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 21: Caitlyn Halse of the Waratahs passes the ball during the Super W match between Melbourne Rebels Women and NSW Waratahs Women at AAMI Park, on April 21, 2023, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

The school of hard knocks has prepared Caitlyn Halse perfectly for Sunday’s Super Rugby women’s final against Fijian Drua.

One of the exciting young players in the game, the teenage Waratahs fullback is now enjoying the unexpected benefits from the hardest lessons she learnt as a kid.

As the only girl in a team full of boys, she was often the first target for opposition players and out-of-line parents.

“Some parents would be yelling stuff onto the field and telling their sons to just whack me because I’m a girl,” the 17-year-old said.

“Some games weren’t the best because of the parents yelling from the sideline but other than that, it was really good. All the boys in my team just backed me and I just ignored the external stuff and just played my type of footy.

“It definitely toughened me up and made me more determined to prove everyone wrong that rugby league or union isn’t just a male dominated sport that girls can play to, and that girls are just as good as the boys. Maybe even better.”

Caitlyn Halse of the Waratahs is tackled during the Super Rugby Women's Semi Final match between NSW Waratahs and ACT Brumbies. Picture: Getty Images

If everything goes according to plan, Halse will get her hands on the Super W title at Ballymore this weekend to end the perfect season.

The Waratahs are undefeated and walloped the Fijians 62-21 in Lautoka in March but know the Pacific Islanders are a different team in the finals, winning the last two championships after the Waratahs won the previous four.

Halse did not play in the 2022 grand final when the Drua beat the Waratahs but was involved in the semi final last year, when the Fijians also emerged victorious so knows not to take their earlier meeting this season as a sign it will be easy.

“We’re obviously not reading too much into it,” she said.

Junior Sports Star - Caitlyn Halse when she was 10

“Everyone knows, Fiji are an unpredictable team so we’re not really thinking about how we played in that game, we’re more thinking of sticking to our system and our processes and playing our game and then hopefully get that win.

“Every time we get to finals footy, they seem to get one off against us. So. Yeah, I think it’d be great to finally get a win against them.

“I’m feeling good, obviously very excited to be playing the grand final against Fiji. But also a bit of nerves coming in.”

Halse has something important to get on with as soon as the match is over.

She is currently in year 12 studying for the HSC and classes start again on Monday.

While most of her cohort have been studying maths and English during the Autumn break, she’s been juggling her text books by studying her opponents.

“I’ve basically spent the holidays either playing, training or analysing some sort of footy,” she said.

Caitlyn Halse is studying for the HSC while playing for the Waratahs. Picture: Getty Images

“I’ve got a good balance between school and footy. Sometimes when I’m at training, I do some of my schoolwork. There’s a couple of teachers in our team, which helps a lot actually. There’s a maths teacher or two. And there’s some other teachers, but they all help out when I need it.

“And there’s also another young girl named Waiaria Ellis who’s also in school at the moment.”

By coincidence Halse and Ellis share the record for being the youngest NSW debutants with both making the first Waratahs appearance at 16 years and 186 days and part of the new waves of women taking the game forward.

“I’m probably part of the generation. Back a couple years ago the girls were not even getting paid to play,” Halse said.

“They are still having to work full time jobs which most have too now but it is improving so I do think I’m part of that new generation coming through.”