WARRINGTON-BORN England Women captain Emily Rudge says she and her teammates are eagerly anticipating their “historic” Test match against Papua New Guinea.

St Helens second rower and former Cardinal Newman High School student Rudge will lead her side out in Goroka in the first of two Test matches against the Orchids on Saturday.

The team arrived in PNG earlier this week after a training camp in Brisbane and Rudge, whose fellow Warringtonian Jodie Cunningham is also in the team, was full of praise for the welcome they have received.

“We were heading into the unknown when we found out we were coming to Goroka, but we’ve had an amazing welcome,” he said.

“The people of Goroka have been so friendly, welcoming and supportive of us when we’ve been out to the local hospitals and schools.

“I’m hopeful they’ll all turn out in force to witness a great game between ourselves and the Orchids.

“It is going to be an historic Test with it being the first women’s international outside of Port Moresby.

“For women’s sport to be given this sort of platform in a rural area of Papua New Guinea is truly ground-breaking.”

The second Test will take place in Port Moresby next Saturday, November 16, as a curtain-raiser to Great Britain’s clash with Papua New Guinea.