The Australian Jillaroos secured their fourth consecutive Women’s Rugby League World Cup title with a 34–10 victory over the New Zealand Kiwi Ferns at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
Australia established a commanding lead during a blistering first-half masterclass in the Brisbane heat. The Jillaroos raced out to a 34–6 advantage before the break, fueled by a sensational first-half hat-trick from winger Jaime Chapman. Chapman scored her first try just two minutes into the contest, followed by a hard-earned try from Shaylee Bent and a stunning length-of-the-field solo effort from Jessica Sergis, who shrugged off three tackles to sprint the length of the field.
Additional tries were added by Chapman and fullback Tamika Upton, while Jesse Southwell landed five conversions from six attempts. New Zealand managed to score once in the first half when Shannon Mato barged across the line, but the early deficit proved insurmountable.
The second half became a much tighter, gritty arm-wrestle as the Kiwi Ferns significantly tightened their defense, blanking the Australian attack for the entire second half. New Zealand's Mackenzie Wiki scored a late consolation try in the dying seconds.
Australia captain Isabelle Kelly, now a three-time World Cup champion, expressed her gratitude to her opponents and her team following the win. "I want to thank the Kiwi Ferns. It's been such a great rivalry for so many years now, with so much respect between the two of our teams," Kelly said. She added, "To my team ... I'm just so humbled and honoured to be able to lead you guys. This has definitely been a dream come true, and I knew that we could get the job done."
New Zealand skipper Raecene McGregor acknowledged the defeat but expressed confidence in the future of the team. "We didn't quite get the job done today, but we are going to assert dominance back into this jersey," McGregor said. "The best of the Kiwi Ferns is yet to be shown, so stay with us."
The victory caps a legendary tournament run for Australia and provides a fairy-tale international farewell for veteran prop Millie Elliott. Before Australia's current era of dominance, New Zealand won the World Cup in 2000, 2003, and 2008.
