Defending Champions Australia Rout Wales in Record-Breaking Rugby League World Cup Clash
Australia’s women’s rugby league team delivered a historic thrashing against Wales in Sydney, setting a new benchmark for international scoring records during the World Cup. The reigning champions, known as the Jillaroos, touched down 21 times to secure a 124-6 victory.
The match began with a resilient defensive effort from Wales, featuring notable tackling from captain Bethan Dainton and an early big hit by Jade Mullen. However, Australia broke the deadlock in the sixth minute when lock Olivia Kernick scored following an offload by Makenzie Weale. That opening breakthrough unlocked the Australian attack, with winger Jaime Chapman scoring a first-half hat-trick as part of a multi-try performance alongside teammates such as Jessica Sergis and Abbi Church.
By the interval, the Jillaroos had established a 60-0 lead, marking the largest half-time deficit recorded in any Rugby League World Cup match across both men’s and women’s competitions. Australia dominated the opening forty minutes, boasting 84 percent of possession and completing 21 of 22 sets.
The scoring continued relentlessly after the break through further tries from players including Keilee Joseph, Tamika Upton, and Keeley Nizza. Australia surpassed their previous tournament high of 92-0 against France from 2022 and eventually eclipsed the men’s international record set by Denmark’s 122-8 win over Sweden in 2012.
Despite the lopsided scoreline, the Welsh side achieved a significant milestone when trailing 100-0. Paige Travis chased down a kick from Tayla Preston to score, making Wales the first team to put points on the board against the Jillaroos during the current tournament.
Participating in their inaugural World Cup after playing their first Test as recently as 2021, Tom Brindle’s Welsh squad faced immense pressure against an opponent packed with National Rugby League Women’s experience. Following prior heavy losses to England and Samoa, the team focused on building a foundation for the future. Reflecting on the campaign, the squad expressed pride in their perseverance and determination to inspire young girls back home despite the challenging scorelines.
Sources: BBC News
Aggregated summary. Original: BBC News