HUNTER duo Katrina Barker and Maya Stewart have been cut from the Wallaroos Test squad and will miss a dream appearance on home soil.
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The backs, who were integral members of the championship-winning NSW Waratahs Super W, side were among 15 players dropped as the squad was cut to 29 for Tests against Japan at Newcastle's No.2 Sportsground (July 13) and North Sydney Oval (July 19).
Brisbane-based former Merewether centre Sarah Riordan did make the 29-person squad, which will assembled at Townson Oval for a week-long camp starting July 6.
Stewart, who has been training with the Australian sevens squad, is only in her second full season of rugby.
"For Maya she still has so much learning," Wallaroos coach Dwayne Nestor told the Herald. "It's very early days for her."
Barker's omission was a surprise. The 26-year-old was a member of the Wallaroos squad which finished sixth at the 2017 World Cup and has been a regular since 2016.
She played halfback at the last World Cup but was used predominantly at inside centre for the NSW Waratahs last season.
However, with Tests against New Zealand to follow the Japan series, Nestor has gone a different way.
"Unfortunately for Cheech her style of play doesn't really suit what we want from our midfield for this series," Nestor said. "I would hope they are disappointed because missing out on selection should be a big deal."
