Australia powered through to the final of the Women’s Rugby League World Cup in dominant fashion, as they bid to retain their title, after destroying Papua New Guinea 82-0 at York’s LNER Community Stadium.
The Jillaroos will join their male counterparts, the Kangaroos, at the deciders at Old Trafford on Saturday and seek to make it an Aussie double after a 15-try rout in a one-sided semi-final.
Isabelle Kelly and Emma Tonegato grabbed hat-tricks, and Shenae Ciesiolka two tries, as halves Lauren Brown and Taliah Fuimaono tore the Orchids to shreds with their combination of dynamic running and slick passing. Brown finished with 18 points, kicking nine goals from 13 attemptse.
The Jillaroos made two key changes from their tight Group B win over New Zealand, with Sammy Bremner on the bench and Tonegato taking her place at full-back, and Brown and Fuimaono pairing up in the halves.
Ali Brigginshaw moved to lock to give the team another playmaking option, while half-back Tarryn Aiken was named on the bench. The selections freshened up the side after the brutal Kiwi Ferns clash and bore fearsome fruit.
The Orchids made a promising start, exploiting a short kick-off and winning the ball back, but an error stopped their first attack and that was as good as it got for them.
In the wet and foggy conditions, the Jillaroos struck first after a huge group tackle forced a vital turnover. In the following set Keeley Davis easily burrowed over from dummy-half to put the defending champions ahead. Brown added the extras to make it 6-0.
Five minutes later, Australia were in again, a double pump from Brown opening space for Kelly to crash over.
With their superior fitness, Australia had the bit between their teeth and space was opening up across the field. Almost immediately Kelly crossed for her second with tiring Papua New Guinea’s right edge faltering again. Brown sliced her kick once more, but the Aussies were in control at 14-0 after 18 minutes.
It took three minutes for them to strike again, Shaylee Bent crossing after a simple draw and pass from Brown. The scrum-half made no mistake from right in front this time.
The Orchids were all at sea as it turned into a horrible night with Fuimaono slicing through the right side once more. She put Evania Pelite over for the Jillaroos’ fifth try, but Brown was unable to convert.
With three tries in a seven-minute spell it was dynamic stuff from the green and gold. In the 27th minute they switched it up, heading left off the back of a scrum with Tonegato breaking free and putting Ciesiolka over.
The seventh try came in the 33rd minute when Olivia Kernick spun her way over. Kelly’s third try came soon after, from Jessica Sergis’s pass inside from the wing.
Half-time came as a relief for the outmatched Papua New Guinea team who were staring at a 40-0 deficit. Their punishment continued soon after the break, Kelly turning provider to set up Sergis in the first minute of the second half.
The Jillaroos reached the half-century four minutes later when Ciesiolka dived over untouched on the left wing. The Orchids were falling off tackles at will and Tallisha Harden was the next to cross.
With 29 minutes remaining there was still time for Tongetao to get on the scoresheet three times, and for Jaime Chapman to touch down, to cap off the huge victory.
