The Jillaroos secured a place in the tournament decider against New Zealand at Lang Park next week, surviving an almighty scare from debutant Fiji. The hosts led for much of the first half but found themselves level at the break, forcing a more composed second-half performance to settle the contest. Australian winger Abbi Church delivered a quadruple, including a spectacular put-down from a Tarryn Aiken kick and a late runaway, to secure the win. However, the victory leaves an injury concern over their other winger Jaime Chapman, who was taken off with a quad injury after scoring. This result ensures the fifth consecutive final between Australia and New Zealand, a fixture that has dominated recent years.
A stunning early resistance
Fiji’s dominance in the opening twenty minutes threatened to deliver the greatest upset in women’s rugby league history. Driven by 23-year-old playmaker Luisa Yaranamua, who plays for South Sydney in the second tier, the Bulikula controlled the ruck and punished Australian errors. Yaranamua converted a penalty goal after an illegal strip, then scored a try herself after captain Sereana Naitokatoka stole the ball from Chapman on the Australian line. She also kicked the conversion to give Fiji an astonishing 8-0 lead. This was the first time Australia had not scored first in a World Cup match since the 2013 final. The Fijians were playing in their first women’s World Cup, yet their performance proved they were a match for the Kiwi Ferns, having led 12-10 at half-time in their earlier group stage encounter.
Composure and finality
Coach Jess Skinner’s halftime address clearly woke Australia up, as the Jillaroos took control of possession and cleaned up their play. Church drove over in the right corner to end the remarkable Fijian resistance, followed shortly by Tamika Upton sliding through to level the scores. Although Jocelyn Kelleher missed two conversions from the tee, allowing Fiji to remain level at half-time, the Australians regained momentum immediately after the break. Aiken began to take control, and Church completed her treble with a brilliant catch from a booming kick before grounding the ball at full tilt. Chapman added another try, though she left the field with a quad injury. Maria Paseka crossed late for Fiji, created by a Yaranamua blindside raid, providing a deserved flourish for the fearless visitors. Yet Church had the last word, collecting Losana Lutu’s kick around 30 metres from her own line before racing clear to score. The final score might appear one-sided, but this match highlighted the depth building in the NRLW. New Zealand can take inspiration from the impressive Bulikula, who showed the hosts are not invincible.
