When you fix multi-million dollar fighter jets for a living, you’d think it would be hard to make an impression.

Royal Australian Airforce aircraft technician and former Gunnedah gal, Brooke Saunders, might know the Super Hornet like the back of her hand but the New Zealand haka, well, that’s a whole new kettle of fish.

The 29-year-old lock forward was part of the Australian Wallaroos rugby side which contested the Tri-Nations in New Zealand earlier this month. 

“It was pretty awesome,” Brooke said of the Kiwi’s pre-game war dance.

Earlier this week the local star was also named in the 26-player Wallaroos World Cup squad which will tour France in late July.

But the Wallaroos have drawn a tough pool alongside Wales, South Africa and host nation France.

It has been a whirlwind few months for the humble country girl who once called Gunnedah and Quirindi home in the early 2000s.

A handy touch football player in her time, it was there she was scouted for her potential as a future rugby player and in her words “never looked back”.

Her Gunnedah mum, Wendy Kerr, who was also a capable touch player in her time, couldn’t take much credit for her daughter’s rugby prowess, but jokingly claimed most recognition for the former.

“I taught her everything I knew (about touch),” she chuffed.

Wendy added that Brooke has always been a fairly active sportswoman but there was one sport in particular that gave her more fright than a rugby game ever would – kickboxing.

“She was doing that Muay Thai for a while but I couldn’t watch it,” Wendy said.

Brooke’s Nan and Pop still live in Murrurundi and the son of her uncle, Boyd Saunders, who calls Quirindi home, is also a talented rugby league player.

The Wallaroos’ Tri-Nations campaign didn’t yield the best of results after they were beaten 38-3 by New Zealand and 22-0 by Canada. 

The Aussie girls looked strong in the first half against the Kiwis but substitutions disjointed play late in the match, which in turn caused the score to blow out.

But they were courageous results nonetheless considering it was the Wallaroos first test match outing in almost four years, Saunders said.

Ever the perfectionist, she can also see plenty of room for improvement in her own game as well.

“I didn’t think I played that well,” she said.

“I’ve still got a lot more to give and heaps to learn.”

It’s not just on the rugby field Brooke is learning a lot either after a recent promotion to the rank of Sergeant.

Also a member of the Air Force rugby team, Brooke is recognised under the Defence Force’s elite sports participant status and finds the balance between work and sports commitments, relatively trouble-free.

The Wallaroos will stay at the Sydney Academy of Sport in Narrabeen on July 21 for a seven-day camp to finalise their preparations for the World Cup before they fly to Paris the following Sunday.

Brooke Saunders - top four:

Position: lock forward, no.8

Home club: University of Queensland

Favourite food: Avocado on toast

Favourite music: Triple J

Wallaroos 2014 World Cup Squad:  

1. Tricia Brown, Queensland, 2. Louise Burrows, ACT, 3. Chloe Butler, Sydney, 4. Cheyenne Campbell, Queensland, 5.  Rebecca Clough, Western Australia, 6. Dalena Dennison, Queensland, 7. Mollie Gray, Australian Services Rugby Union, 8. Natasha Haines, Western Australia, 9.  Alisha Hewett, Australian Services Rugby Union, 10. Ashley Hewson, Sydney, 11. Ashley Masters, Victoria, 12.  Nita Maynard, Sydney, 13. Danielle Meskell, Sydney, 14. Michelle Milward, ACT, 15.  Cobie Jane Morgan, Sydney, 16. Tui Ormsby, Sydney, 17. Shannon Parry, Queensland, 18. Liz Patu, Queensland, 19. Madeline Putz, Western Australia, 20. Brooke Saunders, Australian Services Rugby, Union, 21. Oneata Schwalger, Victoria, 22. Hanna Sio, Sydney, 23. Rebecca Smyth, NSW Country, 24. Caroline Vakalahi, Australian Services Rugby Union, 25. Margaret Watson, NSW Country, 26. Sharni Williams, ACT.