Wallaroos superstar Trilleen Pomare has today announced her retirement from international rugby.
Pomare’s decision follows a record-breaking Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, where the Wallaroos reached the quarter-final before going down to finalists Canada.
A three-time World Cup representative, Pomare finishes her career in gold with 43 caps, the second highest all-time, after making her international debut against Ireland in 2017.
The 32-year-old proud Māori was born in Auckland before she moved to Perth, where she took up rugby and became a mainstay in the Force squad to captain the team. She intends to play on with the Force in Super W.
“I’m so grateful for everyone who’s backed me, believed in me and supported me through the different stages of the journey,” Pomare said.
“I started out just wanting to play footy with my mates, and somehow it’s taken me around the world and being able to make a career out of it.
“There’ll never be enough words of thanks for that, but the best way to honour it is by turning it into something bigger than yourself.
“I wish all my friends all the for everything in the future. I hope they never underestimate the impact they can have on people.”
Interim Wallaroos head coach Sam Needs congratulated Pomare on her successful career in the gold jersey.
“Trilleen has been a mainstay in the Wallaroos squad for almost a decade and as our second highest capped player ever, her leadership and dedication helped shaped this group for the better,” Needs said.
“The work with she’s put into some of our younger players coming through has been invaluable and will leave a legacy for generations to come.”
Force head coach Dylan Parsons paid tribute to Pomare's international rugby, labelling her a trail-blazer for women's rugby in WA.
“The fact she’s one of the highest capped Wallaroos players who has gone to three World Cups during a period where women’s rugby in Australia has gone from relatively amateur to playing in the most supported World Cup, shows her commitment and love for the game," he said.
“Within the Wallaroos group, she is a leader and someone who is highly respected. That is a testament to who she is and her values. Trill's humility shines through and is always driving to make herself and everyone around her better.”
“The whole RugbyWA community respects her highly and she has been engrained in Perth rugby for over a decade now. The Pomare name is well known, with family members playing across various teams.
“A great example of Trill's character, as soon as she got back to Perth from the World Cup, she made an effort to get to our North vs South pathway training to meet and say hello to all of the new girls. It shows she cares a lot.
"She knows she has a strong influence on the young players coming through and rightly is seen is a trail-blazer of the women’s game in WA.”
