Jillaroos World Cup final dominance rolled on at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, with Australia thrashing the New Zealand Kiwi Ferns 34-10 to win a fourth straight Women’s Rugby League World Cup. Winger Jaime Chapman scored a first-half hat-trick to equal the record for tries in a single World Cup campaign, men or women, with 13.
The contest was effectively over at half-time. Australia scored six tries before the break to lead 34-6, and the second half was scoreless until the Kiwi Ferns crossed late.
Chapman, Shaylee Bent, Jess Sergis and Tamika Upton scored Australia’s tries, while five-eighth Jesse Southwell kicked five goals, BBC Sport reported. Shannon Mato and Mackenzie Wiki scored for New Zealand, with Chantay Kiria-Ratu kicking a goal.
Chapman’s record-equalling hat-trick
Chapman opened the scoring barely two minutes in, carrying defenders over on the left edge, and finished a flying effort in the same corner for her second as the Jillaroos raced out to 24 unanswered points.
Her third was the try of the day, a long-range solo run in which she broke through several tacklers before racing away, AAP reported. It took her tally for the tournament to 13 tries.
Read more: Jillaroos Beat Fiji 30-14 to Reach World Cup Final
Fourth straight world title
The win follows Australia’s 54-4 victory over New Zealand in the 2022 final at Old Trafford. New Zealand won the first three women’s World Cups between 2000 and 2008, but the Jillaroos have now won four in a row and are unbeaten in 16 World Cup matches dating back to 2013, according to BBC Sport.
Coach Jess Skinner’s call to recall Southwell at five-eighth in place of Jocelyn Kelleher, the only change from the semi-final win over Fiji, paid off, with Southwell landing five of her six conversion attempts, two of them from the left touchline.
Heat slows the second half
Hot, humid conditions in Brisbane required a drinks break in each half and a longer interval, and the second 40 minutes became a scrappy, error-filled contest. Halfback Tarryn Aiken was denied by a try-saving tackle from Kiwi Ferns hooker Georgia Hale before Wiki scored New Zealand’s consolation try late in the match.
Read more: Kangaroos vs Kiwis Record: Head-to-Head History Since 1908
Captain Isabelle Kelly led an Australian side that included seven members of the 2022 title-winning team, according to NRL.com. The Kangaroos and Kiwis meet in the men’s World Cup final later on Sunday night.
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