Australia 54 – 4 New Zealand

Australia are the Rugby League World Cup champions after a 54-4 victory over New Zealand; Isabelle Kelly scored twice in the first half as the Jillaroos cemented an early lead; Kennedy Cherrington also scored twice as Australia ran riot

Australia secured the Rugby League World cup trophy for a third time in a row as they dominated the Kiwi Ferns

Australia retained the Women’s Rugby League World Cup with a dominant 54-4 victory over New Zealand at Old Trafford.

The Aussies powered over 10 tries on their way to victory, with New Zealand’s sole score coming in the final 15 minutes.

The tone was set in the opening six minutes as Jessica Sergis barrelled over down the right-hand side, before Isabelle Kelly’s double and Julia Robinson’s clinical finish gave Australia a 20-0 lead at the break.

The second half saw the Jillaroos continue with the same attacking mindset as the first. Emma Tonegato sliced through New Zealand’s defence, before Sergis flew through for her second. Tarryn Aiken added her name to the scoresheet, with Ali Brigginshaw and Lauren Brown adding the extras to make it 38-0.

Madison Bartlett brought the crowd alive as she scored a consolation try for the Ferns with 15 minutes to go, but Australia hit straight back as Kennedy Cherrington powered over twice, before Evania Pelite finished off the scoring to clinch Australia’s third consecutive World Cup trophy.

Story of the match

The challenge was laid by these two teams as Australia advanced on the Haka and from that point, the intensity never dropped as emotions ran high.

Australia advanced on the Haka as emotions ran high at the Women’s Rugby League World Cup Final

The Jillaroos got the better start and made the pressure count after just six minutes, Sergis holding off two defenders to go over on the right edge after some great play from Ali Brigginshaw, who converted to secure the early 6-0 lead.

The dominance from Australia then continued as they worked from one end to the other, Brigginshaw slicing through the defence before sending it out wide for Kelly to go over on the left edge on the 16-minute mark.

Although the Kiwi Ferns fought to gain some territory they couldn’t make it count and Australia made them pay, Robinson collecting the perfectly-weighted kick from playmaker Brigginshaw to extend their lead to 14-0.

Just minutes from half-time, Kelly then grabbed her second as the Jillaroos continued their ruthless attack, crashing over to give Australia a 20-0 lead at the break.

Isabelle Kelly’s try-scoring run continued as she went over for her second

As the second half got under way, the Jillaroos continued their incredible defensive effort to nullify the powerful Amber Hall and Mele Hufanga and got their reward after 49 minutes as Tonegato danced through to go in under the sticks.

From there, the floodgates opened as just three minutes later Sergis went over for her second, Aiken then joining in the scoring fun as she finished off a brilliant run down the left edge from Evania Pelite.

Despite being so far behind in the scoreline, New Zealand didn’t give up and gained the biggest cheer of the afternoon from the crowd as Bartlett finished off the looping pass from Krystal Rota in the left corner to put New Zealand on the scoreboard.

However, the Jillaroos hit straight back as prop Cherrington secured back-to-back tries, crashing over from short range before finishing off the pass from Kelly, with Brown converting both to put Australia at the 50-point mark.

The Jillaroos are on top of the Rugby League world after a dominant 54-4 victory over the Kiwi Ferns

The onslaught didn’t stop there as Pelite then crossed over for a try of her own with just over five minutes remaining to round off the win and put the Jillaroos on top of the Rugby League World.