Abbi Church scored 4 tries as Australia set up a final against New Zealand, which beat Samoa 32–0. The final is in Brisbane on 15 November at 05:10 GMT (09:10 Yerevan time).
Australia beat Fiji 30–14 in the Women’s Rugby League World Cup semifinal, with Abbi Church scoring 4 tries to send her team into the final against New Zealand.
Australia had beaten New Zealand 54–4 in the 2021 final. This will be Australia’s fifth consecutive final, and the team will seek a fourth straight title.
Fiji took an 8–0 lead with a penalty goal and a converted try by Luisa Yaranamua, after captain Sereana Naitokatoka took the ball from Jaime Chapman near Australia’s line.
Church and Tamika Upton scored tries in the final 10 minutes of the first half to bring Australia level at 8–8. Jocelyn Kelleher missed both conversions, the kicks taken after a try for extra points.
After halftime, Church scored twice more, with a Chapman try between them. Church then collected Losana Lutu’s kick about 30 meters from Australia’s own line and ran clear for her final try.
New Zealand beat Samoa 32–0 in Newcastle on 7 November. Center Stacey Waaka, a dual international, scored 3 of her team’s seven tries and helped create the opening score for winger Mackenze Wiki within two minutes after a Samoan error.
Samoa had the better first-half chances but could not score, including during a five-minute spell of pressure at New Zealand’s try line before Waaka’s first try. Raecene McGregor’s kicks set up Waaka’s first two scores, the second extending New Zealand’s lead to 14 points five minutes into the second half, and New Zealand added 4 tries in the final 12 minutes through Waaka, McGregor, Mele Hufanga and Kaiyah Atai.
Samoa beats England 24–6 to reach the semi-finals and eliminate England. Australia beats Wales 124–6, with Jaime Chapman scoring six tries, having already qualified to face Fiji. The Guardian says the win sets women’s World Cup score and margin records; its 124 points are an international high, while its 118-point margin is a women’s international record but falls short of France men’s overall record.
At the end of that match, Waaka was level with Chapman at the top of the tournament’s try-scoring list, with 9 each. Chapman then scored against Fiji.
New Zealand had reached the semifinal unbeaten after topping Group B by winning all three group matches. Samoa had finished second in Group A and beaten England 24–6 in its preceding match.
Australia and New Zealand meet for the title in Brisbane on 15 November at 05:10 GMT (09:10 Yerevan time).
3 min
Apii Nicholls scored four tries, while Stacey Waaka and Mele Hufanga each scored three, as New Zealand secured a second pool win ahead of its final group match.
1 min
The defending champions scored 15 tries in Perth, leaving England to face Samoa next Friday in a match that will decide its qualification.
2 min
Update ·
Australia's win over Fiji completes the semifinal round and sets up a final against New Zealand.
