England had been outclassed in a 78-0 defeat to defending champions Australia nevertheless keep in with a possibility of reaching the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals.
Stuart Barrow’s side shipped 15 tries on a unforgiving night time in Perth and will quickly regroup ahead of Friday’s closing pool match in the direction of Samoa, the place the winner will advance to the ultimate 4.
England had no reply to a rampant Jillaroos, who dominated from the first whistle and saved a transparent sheet for the second successive recreation. Nevertheless they’re going to be aggravated by the fashion whereby they gifted Australia territory and scoring alternate options all through an error-strewn and ill-disciplined first half.
England’s start was disastrous. They’d been caught offside from the kick-off and duly punished as Jaime Chapman opened the scoring, and one different botched restart adopted as Jenna Foubister kicked the ball straight into contact.
Australia aren’t a side who require such fast entry into the opposition half and they also cut back unfastened, scoring seven tries in a one-sided first half the place their one unfavourable was a suspected broken wrist suffered by Julia Robinson.
England moreover misplaced Eva Hunter to wreck – the second rower may solely watch on with ankle on ice as her team-mates fell to a heavy loss.
Jaime Chapman celebrates scoring the first of Australia’s 15 tries
After conceding two early Chapman tries, England thought that that they had hit once more when Anna Davies crossed throughout the nook. Nonetheless, replays confirmed her knee was involved sooner than she grounded the ball.
That was just about nearly as good as a result of it obtained. With the great Tamika Upton returning kicks with curiosity and Jocelyn Kelleher combining with half-back affiliate Tarryn Aiken to devastating impression, Australia saved the scoreboard ticking over with regularity.
Kelleher scored twice with Isabelle Kelly and Abbi Church moreover dotting proper right down to make it 36-0 at half-time.
The onslaught continued with Aiken, Olivia Kernick, Quincy Dodd all scoring inside 10 minutes of the restart, sooner than Church scored certainly one of many tries of the game after Kelleher regathered her private grubber and blended with Upton to put the winger over.
Makenzie Weale, Tiani Penitani Gray, Kelly and Shayley Bent added extra tries as Australia threatened to raised the 90-4 victory over England in Las Vegas closing 12 months, nevertheless England refused to throw throughout the towel and popped up with some massive defensive moments no matter being beneath fastened pressure.
Focus ought to quickly shift to Samoa nevertheless Barrow faces an issue to hold his avid gamers.
What’s subsequent?
England play Samoa of their closing pool fixture on Friday (6.05am), the place victory in Wollongong will protected a semi-final place.
