Australia’s quest for a fourth consecutive Women’s Rugby League World Cup has started with a bang courtesy of a 40-0 victory over Fetu Samoa.
Unbackable favourites leading into the tournament opener, the Jillaroos overcame an ill-disciplined opening 10 minutes to shut out Samoa in the seven-try rout.
Things were far from easy for Australia in the second half, but the damage was already done by half-time, with five-eighth Jocelyn Kelleher and reigning Dally M medallist Tamika Upton leading the way with two try assists apiece.
Kelleher, making her Jillaroos debut, was named player of the match, where she was dangerous in attack and her kicking game troubled Samoa.
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Speaking to ABC Sport, Kelleher said she had been waiting a long time for her chance to play for the Jillaroos.
“It’s a dream come true,” she said.
“Was in the squad last year, but got my debut jersey this year. So excited and so happy to be here.”
Despite the 40-point win, it was far from a perfect performance from the reigning world champions.
“We still have a lot of things to fix from today. It wasn’t perfect out there,” Kelleher said.
Samoa, in their first World Cup since 2008, had several chances early but lacked the class to capitalise against their much-fancied opponents.
Gold Coast Titans star Jaime Chapman ended her three-year Jillaroos exodus by scoring Australia’s first try in the 11th minute, beating opposite winger Freedom Crichton Ropati out wide.
Australia’s greatest ever try-scorer, Julia Robinson, lived up to her reputation seven minutes later when she beat three would-be defenders for her 23rd Jillaroos try in 14 appearances.
Tries to back-rower Shaylee Bent and hooker Keeley Nizza followed in quick succession before lock Olivia Kernick crossed moments before halftime to seal a 28-0 lead at the break.
Kernick turned playmaker in the opening five minutes of the second period when she handed the ball off for Keilee Joseph to extend the Jillaroos’ lead.
Brave defence might have turned the tide for Samoa, who ground their way to more opportunities at the Jillaroos end over the final 25 minutes.
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Prop Laikha Clarke went the closest to securing some consolation points for Samoa, but was ruled to have dropped the ball over the line.
Of further concern for Samoa was a suspected knee injury in the dying stages to centre Sarina Masaga.
A try in the final two minutes from Australian centre Jessica Sergis capped the Jillaroos’ victory and extended their almost three-year unbeaten run.
Samoa’s men thrashed France in the opening match of the day, putting on a record score to win 78-4.
That is all for tonight’s live coverage
This is where we end tonight’s live coverage of the women’s Rugby League World Cup opener.
The Jillaroos flexed their muscle with a 40-point win over Samoa.
You can follow the Rugby League World Cup online, and lisent to ever game live.
Goodnight.
Samoa coach thrilled with men’s world cup opening win
Samoa’s men enjoyed a massive win over France earlier tonight.
The 78-4 thrashing showed Samoa, the 2022 finalists, have huge hopes of making another run at the world title.
In his post-match press conference, Samoa coach Ben Gardiner said he was pleased with how his side performed in their opening match of the tournament.
“We put really good pressure on the opposition,” he said.
“We’ve worked really hard on our own combinations this week, and it was nice to see some of those combinations come out for some nice tries.”
Jocelyn Kelleher joins ABC Sport after player of the match performance
What an outstanding debut for Jocelyn Kelleher.
She starred for Australia in their 40-0 World Cup win over Samoa.
Kelleher was dangerous in attack; her kicking game was terrific, and she was very good from the kicking tee.
She joins ABC Sport, saying she has been waiting for this moment for a long time.
“It’s a dream come true,” she said.
“Was in the squad last year, but got my debut jersey this year. So excited and so happy to be here.”
Despite the 40-point win, it was far from a perfect performance from the reigning world champions.
“We still have a lot of things to fix from today. It wasn’t perfect out there,” Kelleher said.
Jocelyn Kelleher is named player of the match
Olivia Kernick joins ABC Sport
Olivia Kernick was fantastic for the Jillaroos.
The Australian lock said her side were expecting a tough outing from Samoa, and they got that.
She said the Jillaroos have plenty to improve on ahead of next week’s clash against England.
I think Samoa have improved so much from last year.
We can still work on our time for next week.
FULL-TIME: Australia 40 def Samoa 0
Australia has got its women’s Rugby League World Cup defence off to a perfect start, defeating a valiant Fetu Samoa in Western Sydney.
The Samoans showed plenty of fight against the reigning champions, dominating the opening 10 minutes and being resolute in defence for much of the second half.
But a burst of five tries in 24 minutes by Australia in the first half put to bed any hopes of an all-time upset.
68′ TRY: Jessica Sergis scores for Australia
Samoa deserved to hold out Australia, but the weight of possession has finally taken its toll.
Jillaroos centre Jessica Sergis charged over from close range, after the women in grren and gold were camped on the Samoan goal-line.
Jocelyn Kelleher converts.
AUS 40
SAM 0
60′ Laikha Clarke denied millimetres from the line for Samoa
Samoa came so close to scoring, and it would have been a well-earned score.
Prop forward Laikha Clarke charged to the line, with four Australians trying to stop her.
Clarke came down short and spilled the ball trying to score.
AUS 34
SAM 0
54′ Samoa showing plenty of fight
Credit to the Samoans, thus far, in this second half.
It would have been easy to throw in the towel, especially after Keilee Joseph’s try.
But the women in blue have since defended their goal-line twice, and in attack have had some charging sets into attacking positions.
AUS 34
SAM 0
45′ TRY: Keilee Joseph gets Australia’s first try of the second half
Lovely play from Australia.
Attacking the goal-line, a lovely pass from Olivia Kernick put Keilee Joseph through a small gap for the score.
AUS 34
SAM 0
41′ Forward pass halts Australia’s attack
The Jillaroos have continued from where they finished the first half.
But the women in green and gold have yet to score.
They were attacking the Samoan goal-line, but a forward pass from Tamika Upton ended their attack.
AUS 28
SAM 0
Second half begins between Australia and Samoa
The Jillaroos have the first use of the footy as the second half begins.
Just like the first half, referee Kasey Badger has blown an early penalty, this time for Australia.
The Jillaroos then make a hash of their set, dropping the ball at halfway.
REPORT: Samoa 78 def. France 4
— reporting by AAP
Samoa have opened their World Cup campaign by crushing France in a 78-4 win that gives an early boost to the Pacific nation’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
In a 14-try-to-one victory in which centre Stephen Crichton kicked 11 goals and Melbourne flyer Sua Fa’alogo crossed four times, the Samoans barely worked up a sweat at Western Sydney Stadium in Sydney on Friday.
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Taking on a French side mostly made up of Super League players, the star-studded Samoan team raced out to a 28-0 lead inside 20 minutes.
The only blemish for coach Ben Gardiner was the sight of Brisbane winger Deine Mariner going off in the first half with a suspected injury.
And while they had lapses of discipline and concentration with the result sewn up — France scored their sole try through winger Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet — the heavy win will increase Samoa’s points differential and their hopes of making it to the semi-finals.
One of Samoa, England or Tonga will miss the knockout stages as a result of the new tournament format, in which the top two teams from across group B and group C make it to the last four.
Samoa face Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby next week before concluding their pool games in an all-Pacific match-up for the ages against the Tongans.
The Kumuls on home soil and Tonga in Sydney will provide a much sterner test than the French, who were left for dead in a blistering opening quarter.
Mariner scored the opening try for the Toa in the third minute soon after his father Lapi had sung the country’s national anthem that brought stars including Jarome Luai and Spencer Leniu to tears.
Benaiah Ioelu, Jermaine McEwen, Fa’alogo, and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow all crossed in the next 15 minutes as the French defence was cut to shreds.
Aispuro-Bichet briefly stemmed the bleeding before Fa’alogo went in again just before halftime to make it 34-4 at the break.
The French had little resistance in the second period, with Fa’alogo adding two more while Crichton, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Shawn Blore, Izack Tago, Francis Molo and Ioelu all went over.
HT: Australia 28 leading Samoa 0
Samoa started this match brightly and had the best of the opening 10 minutes.
But the women in blue couldn’t score, and Australia then turned the screws.
The Jillaroos ran in five tries to take a big lead at half-time.
35′ TRY: Oliva Kernick scores on the stroke of half-time
Australia has finished with style.
Olivia Kernick has scored under the posts, after Jocelyn Kelleher sliced through the defensive line.
It came off the back of another penalty against Samoa. The Samoans have conceded the last 5 penalties.
Jocelyn Kelleher converts from in front.
AUS 28
SAM 0
27′ TRY: Keeley Nizza scores from dummy half for Australia
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Wonderful from Keeley Nizza.
The interchange hooker took a run from dummy half, and she weaved her way through the Samoan defence, beating three defenders to score.
Jocelyn Kelleher converts.
AUS 22
SAM 0
23′ TRY: Shaylee Bent scores for Australia
The Jillaroos are really starting to flex their muscles.
Attacking the goal-line again, Australia shifted to the left and the ball got to backrower Shaylee Bent.
It was a two-on-two, but Bent beat her defender on the outside and crossed the chalk.
AUS 16
SAM 0
18′ TRY: Julia Robinson scores for Australia
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The Jillaroos are starting to assert themselves in this world cup match.
Samoa’s discipline is hurting them, with penalties gifting Australia easy metres and putting them in attack.
Right winger Julia Robinson gets the ball on the wing, then steps back inside and muscles over the goal-line.
It is Robinson’s 23rd try in just her 14th Test.
Jocelyn Kelleher converts from near the right touchline.
AUS 12
SAM 0
11′ TRY: Jaime Chapman scores for Australia
Despite the early dominance by Samoa, it is Australia that scores first.
The Jillaroos earned a penalty 15 metres from the Samoan goal line.
The Jillaroos tap and go for the try. A nice shift to the left has Jaime Chapman open, and she scores in the corner.
Jocelyn Kelleher converts from the left touchline.
AUS 6
SAM 0
7′ Samoa blow a massive chance
Australia is under pressure, defending its goal line.
Samoa receive two penalties in goal-kicking range, but they turn down the opportunities in search of a try.
But there is a drop by fullback Destiny Mino-Sinapati with space to the left.
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