If the phone call Lilliana Prucha received this week from the Australian selectors was the most important of her sporting life, the one she made soon after would run a very close second.
The Bond University student had just been named in the Australian Steelers squad for the 2025 Santos Wheelchair Rugby World Challenge — her first national team call-up — when she reached out to the legendary John Eales.
As a recipient of Bond University’s John Eales Rugby Excellence Scholarship, Prucha has had access to Australia’s most successful rugby captain as a mentor. And in the wake of her selection, she turned to him for the kind of advice you won’t find in a playbook.
“I had a great conversation with John about some tactics for staying calm on the sideline,” she said.
“He talked about how to handle nerves and stay centred when the pressure rises – and that’s something I know I’ll need in this environment. I’m looking forward to putting it into practice and really growing as an athlete.”
It’s sage counsel from a man who hoisted two World Cups for the Wallabies – and it couldn’t come at a more pivotal time for Prucha.
The 21-year-old will make her international debut next month as part of the Steelers squad competing at the 2025 World Challenge in Adelaide later this month — the biggest wheelchair rugby event in the world this year, and the first time the Australian team has played on home soil since 2018.
Prucha will join fellow debutantes Conor Tweedy, Damien Mortaud and Tai Martin-Page in a squad that blends fresh faces with seasoned campaigners like Chris Bond and Shae Graham.
The tournament will feature top-tier opposition from Canada, Brazil, Germany, New Zealand and the Netherlands.
Prucha forced her way into the side with a standout series for a Developing Steelers squad in the Shibuya Cup in Tokyo last month where she was named the tournament’s best mid-point player.
“I’m honestly not really sure what it all means to me yet – I know it’s a big deal but I don’t think it’ll feel real until I’m on the court,” she said.
“I’m nervous about how I’ll do at this next level. I hope I perform well and don’t let my teammates down. But I’m so excited to make my debut on home soil with my family and friends around to support me – I just want to do them proud.”
Steelers Head Coach Brad Dubberley said the World Challenge represented more than just a tournament — it was a launch pad for the next generation of Steelers, with the LA 2028 Paralympics and Brisbane 2032 in sharp focus.
“It’s a significant number of debuts, and half of our team playing at the World Challenge will have played their first Steelers game in the first six months of this year – it’s a very different team, and it’s exciting for everybody,” he said.
“It’s always huge opportunity to play at home in front of family and friends, we don’t get to do that very often.
“We’re going to bring intensity to Adelaide through a team that everyone can be proud of regardless of results.
“From this competition, we will be looking ahead to the World Championships in 2026, the LA 2028 Paralympics and even Brisbane 2032.
“We’ve definitely got a team that is worthy of winning this tournament, and make no mistake, that’s our goal.”