![Georgia Roche. Picture by Marina Neil Georgia Roche. Picture by Marina Neil](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/max.mckinney/5aab22e5-0771-4efa-b806-cf8599f2d4c5.jpg/r0_0_4997_3254_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Knights half Georgia Roche has welcomed the addition of a women's fixture to the NRL's Las Vegas venture in 2025, hailing it as an opportunity to showcase the sport and for England to test themselves against Australia.
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Roche, who is likely to run out at five-eighth when the Knights take on Sydney Roosters in their NRLW season-opener next week, has played eight Tests for her home country England.
A crafty playmaker who joined the Knights last season, winning the 2023 NRLW premiership, she featured in two England wins last year over France and Wales, a year after playing in the World Cup.
But the Lionesses haven't taken on Australia since 2017, and Roche was pleased they would now be afforded that opportunity.
"It's really exciting," Roche said. "For us as a nation, it's really exciting that we're going to get a real clear indication of where we're at as an England women's team.
"The girls over there, there's some unbelievable talent coming through. They played against France the other week, and there was a new halfback into the fold. She made her mark and put her stamp on the jersey too, so there's healthy competition there which is exciting."
The Las Vegas match between Australia and England next March, which will be part of the NRL's "round zero" featuring two premiership games and a Super League fixture, will be held well outside the women's calendar.
The NRLW season is about to kick-off and concludes in October. Some internationals will be played afterwards.
But Roche wasn't too concerned about the timing, seeing the positives of showcasing the women's game on a grand stage to Americans and also fans from traditional rugby league markets.
"I will make sure that I put myself in the best position possible, physically and mentally, to be there," she said.
"We saw what the men's [Las Vegas games] did with the NRL, in the USA as a whole.
"I saw comments like 'I can't believe they don't wear pads, they won't wear helmets.
"They see the NFL and they have their big pads and helmets on, and our guys go out and they've probably got a mouth-guard and a pair of football boots and bash each other for 80 minutes.
"So I think if they see women doing that, it brings a whole new dynamic into how we're seen as female athletes."
Women's rugby league in Australia continues to grow in terms of popularity and playing numbers. The NRLW has expanded to 10 teams in recent years and will have two more next year with the Warriors and Bulldogs.
One of three English players in the NRLW, including Hollie Dodd (Raiders) and Fran Goldthorp (Cowboys), Roche said the game was "coming along" in England, where the elite competition is the Women's Super League.
"There's players that are getting interest from over here, so for us as a nation that's very good to see," she said. "Hopefully a few more girls come out here and take that experience back."