The 27-year-old has been named in the Australian women’s rugby World Cup team that will compete in Ireland this month.

After being presented with their Australian jerseys in Sydney on Tuesday, the 28 female rugby union players left for Ireland that afternoon ahead of the World Cup.

Having played the game in school at Scone Public, it wasn’t until Brown moved to Jindabyne in 2010 where she still lives and works that her real passion for the sport developed.

She joined the Jindabyne Rugby Club, playing for ‘Miss Piggies’ and after the team folded three years ago she continued her rugby career with Tuggeranong Vikings.

Being successfully selected in the ACT Women’s XV and Sevens side and playing for the ACT XV side at the National Women’s XVs Championship in 2015, Brown impressed the selectors to be named in the Wallaroos squad.

Then began the start of intense training in the hope to gain selection in 2017 to play in the World Cup in Ireland.

And, the hard work has certainly paid dividends with the World Cup team selection coming as a welcome surprise to her family.

“I’m bursting at the seams. We are over the moon at Kate’s selection and so proud of her achievement,” said her mother Cheryl Brown.

“She found out about a month ago that she had been picked for the World Cup team.”

“It was an amazing surprise for her as she had just found out and the following day she celebrated her birthday.”

“She said it was the best birthday she had ever had.”

While the Australian Rugby Union covers the cost of the Wallaroos' trip to the World Cup, the athletes are not paid match fees.

However this year the team will recieve $1000 each to help with extra costs thanks to businesswoman Jospehine Sukkar who has helped boost the women’s game in the past.

The Wallaroos will arrive in Ireland on Thursday, a week before they face the host nation at their first group match at UCD Bowl Stadium in Dublin.