The Wallaroos have made a record-breaking entry into the Women’s Rugby World Cup party in England, Desiree Miller speeding over for three of Australia’s 11 tries as they pummelled brave but outgunned Samoa 73-0 in their biggest win in the competition’s annals.
Winger Miller starred in a brilliant first-half performance from Australia’s rugby women at the Salford Community Stadium in Manchester on Saturday, wrapping up her treble in just over half an hour as the slick Wallaroos blitzed seven tries in just 33 minutes.
But the Samoans, facing the nightmarish prospect of conceding a three-figure score, regrouped courageously, starved the Aussies of possession and began to stem the bleeding until another late burst of excellence saw the Wallaroos plough over for three late scores.
The Wallaroos have made a record-breaking start to the Rugby World Cup. (AP: PA/Mike Egerton)
The scoreline topped the Wallaroos’ previous biggest World Cup win, a 62-0 trouncing of South Africa back in 2010.
There were try doubles for fullback Caitlyn Halse, the youngest ever World Cup Wallaroo at the age 18, and forward replacement Adiana Talakai, while Katalina Amosa, Emily Chancellor, Eva Karpani and player-of-the-match Cecilia Smith also went over for tries.
The victory was expected against the weakest team in a power-packed Pool A, headed by hosts and tournament favourites England, who’d set out their stall on Friday in the tournament opener with a 69-7 demolition of the United States.
But the way the Australians held the Samoans scoreless with doughty defence while also putting together some fluid attacking bodes well for their crucial encounter against the US next weekend in York, which more than likely will determine who goes through to the quarterfinals with England.
AAP
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