Top forward recruits Eva Karpani and Tiarah Minns are both relishing the new challenge as Queensland Reds for the 2025 Super Rugby Women’s season.
The Wallaroos duo both left long-established bases at other clubs during the off-season to find fresh horizons with the rebuilding Reds.
When Karpani signed last October, she became the Reds’ most experienced player with 31 Tests.
That experience and willingness to pass on all she has learnt as a multiple title-winner with the NSW Waratahs is already a huge positive for young Reds like rookie 18-year-old prop Sky-Yvette Faimalie.
Lock Minns decided on the Reds as her new home when the Melbourne Rebels exited the competition.
At 1.88m, the former netballer’s precision in the lineouts will add a strength where there was frailty during the Reds’ disappointing 2024 campaign.
“Joining the Reds is definitely new scenery and a good change. I’m enjoying it all,” Karpani said.
“Just meeting and connecting with new teammates and staff plus being challenged by new athletes in the same position in the squad are different ways to be out of your comfort zone.
“Every player at the Reds has their own strengths. I also feel it’s my time to pass on what I’ve learnt in the game.
“For me, being here is the right timing and I’m in the right place. It’s where I’m meant to be.”
Like Karpani, Minns fast-tracked that connection at the Reds by debuting on Queensland’s tour of Tonga last July.
“To be amongst a different group with coaches pushing me in a different way has been a real positive,” Minns said.
“The culture and professionalism at the Reds were things that attracted me.
“It was people-first at the Rebels as well as a one-club mentality with the men and women’s teams. I’ve found the same culture at the Reds.
“Through the tour to Tonga, I could really see a welcoming environment and myself being at the club.”
The Reds have selected a strong squad for the Super Rugby Women’s season with 13 players who have represented the Wallaroos.
A dynamic extra dimension is provided by five Australian sevens players with World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year Maddison Levi, who underwent thumb surgery this week, sister Teagan, Charlotte Caslick, Kahli Henwood and Bella Nasser.
The recruits bolster a core of class at the Reds where Ivania Wong, Carola Kreis, Bree-Anna Browne, Carys Dallinger, Lori Cramer, Mel Wilks and others have contributed strong seasons of service.
The superior organisation around the women’s program is a credit to Reds Women’s High Performance Manager Nico Andrade, who came on board in March last year, and new coach Andrew Fraser.
“To have our head coach in place since August, team staff assembled and a wider training group working for two months pre-Christmas enabled us to have a really good look at our playing stocks and get our selection directions in place,” Andrade said.
“It’s exciting to see this squad and the desire to deliver the best high performance program possible.”
QUEENSLAND REDS WOMEN’S 2025 SQUAD
Ariana Hira
Bree-Anna Browne
Briana Dascombe
Caitlin Urwin
Carola Kreis
Carys Dallinger
Charli Jacoby
Cristo Taufua
Deni Ross
Dillyn Blackburn
Eva Karpani
Faythe Manera
Ivania Wong
Jemma Bemrose
Jiowana Sauto
Layne Morgan
Lori Cramer
Maraea Tupai
Melanie Wilks
Michelle Curry
Natalie Wright
Piper Flynn
Renae Nona
Sarah Riordan
Sarah Dougherty
Shalom Sauaso
Sky-Yvette Faimalie
Tiarah Minns
Tiarna Molloy
Vineta Teutau
Zoe Hanna
Zophronia Setu
Sevens Players:
Maddison Levi
Teagan Levi
Charlotte Caslick
Kahli Henwood
Bella Nasser
Head coach: Andrew Fraser
Assistant coaches: Damon Virtue, Simon Craig, Eddie Aholelei
