AUSTRALIA winger Jamie Chapman equalled the record for tries in a World Cup as the Jillaroos suffocated New Zealand from the kick-off in the Brisbane heat.
The corresponding women’s decider at Old Trafford four years ago finished in a 54-4 win to the Australians and when they led by 28 at halftime that looked supremely attainable.
“We’re fitter, we’re stronger and we’ll come out and give it to them the next half as well,” Australia winger Jamie Chapman said after equalling the record for World Cup tournament tries with three in the first half.
At the time, the Jillaroos were leading the World Cup final 34-10 in steamy conditions at Suncorp Stadium.
But Chapman proved herself better at scoring tries than soothsaying. The second half was pointless – literally and perhaps figuratively – until the Kiwi Ferns scored right on the bell.
An error by second rower Kaiyah Atai in her own quarter in the second minute effectively opened the floodgates, with the Jillaroos repeatedly punching through the Kiwi Ferns behnd the ruck with speedy backs.
It was 24-0 before the Kiwi Ferns registered their first points when replacement Shannon Mato scored next to the posts in the 24th minute.
Chapman equalled the tryscoring record of Honey Hireme and, including the men’s tournament, eclipsed the mark of 12 by Valentine Holmes and Josh Addo-Carr.
Both sides shut down in the second half. New Zealand finish the World Cup without having conceded second half point.
They did manage that try to Mackenzie Wiki with seconds to go.
AUSTRALIA 34 (Chapman 3 Bent Surgis Upton tries Southwell 5 goals) beat NEW ZEALAND 10 (Mato Wiki try Kiria-Ratu goal) at Suncorp Stadium.
Teams:
AUSTRALIA: Tamika Upton (Brisbane); Jaime Chapman (Gold Coast), Jessica Sergis (Sydney Roosters), Isabelle Kelly (capt, Sydney Roosters), Abbi Church (Parramatta); Jesse Southwell (Brisbane), Tarryn Aiken (Sydney Roosters); Millie Elliott (Sydney Roosters), Olivia Higgins (Newcastle), Simaima Taufa (Canberra), Tiana Penitani Gray (Cronulla), Shaylee Bent (Wests Tigers), Olivia Kernick (Sydney Roosters).
Reserves: Keeley Nizza (Sydney Roosters), Keilee Joseph (Parramatta), Kezie Apps (Wests Tigers), Sariah Paki (Sydney Roosters), Sheridan Gallagher (Canberra), Sarah Togatuki, Quincy Dodd (Cronulla), Jocelyn Kelleher (Sydney Roosters), Ellie Johnston (Cronulla).
NEW ZEALAND: Apii Nicholls (NZ Warriors); Leianne Tufuga (Canberra), Mele Hufanga (NZ Warriors), Stacey Waaka (NZ Warriors), Mackenzie Wiki (Canberra); Chantay Kiria-Ratu (Cronulla), Raecene McGregor (capt, Wests Tigers); Alexis Tauaneai (Canterbury), Georgia Hale (Gold Coast), Otesa Pule (Sydney Roosters), Shaniece Monschau (Wests Tigers), Kaiyah Atai (NZ Warriors), Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa (Canterbury).
Reserves: Ashleigh Quinlan (Canterbury), Annessa Biddle (Cronulla), Shannon Mato (Brisbane), Ivana Lauitiiti (NZ Warriors), Brooke Anderson (St George Illawarra), Zahara Temara (Canberra), Brianna Clark (Brisbane), Abigail Roache (North Queensland), Tenika Willison (Newcastle).
Referee: Belinda Sharpe.
