AUSTRALIA 30 FIJI 14
CALLUM WALKER, Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Sunday

FOUR TRIES by Abbi Church delivered the hammer blow to brave Fiji’s World Cup hopes.

The Jillaroos winger notched four tries as the Bulikula eventually ran out of steam against an Australia side that stumbled and stuttered for much of proceedings.

In fact, Fiji led 8-0 midway through the first half and were even level at half-time before the Jillaroos’ class shone through to confirm a fifth straight Australia-New Zealand final – with the hosts looking to win for the fourth time in succession.

Five players came in for Australia as Jocelyn Kelleher, Millie Elliott, Shaylee Bent, Simaima Taufa and Tiana Penitani Gray all returned having been rested for the Kangaroos’ 124-6 thrashing of Wales.

There was just one change for Fiji as Teaghan Hartighan joined the bench.

And it was the Bulikula that started the brighter of the two sides. They should have crossed on eight minutes when Talei Holmes took a short ball with the line begging, but somehow Jessica Sergis managed to hold up the Fijian back-rower.

As it was, Fiji did edge ahead in the twelfth minute, linchpin Luisa Yaranamua slotting over a penalty after Simaima Taufa was found guilty of hands in the ruck.

If that 2-0 scoreline surprised the Jillaroos, then an 8-0 deficit moments later sent shockwaves throughout the rugby league world.

It was Yaranamua again in the thick of it, burrowing over from dummy-half as the Australian defence seemed unaware of the threat. And the wily halfback converted.

With Fiji in the ascendancy, it took an almighty effort from the Jillaroos to clamber their way back into proceedings.

A smooth left-to-right move ended with Tamika Upton sending over Church in the corner. Kelleher, however, couldn’t convert as the visitors still led 8-4.

Parity was restored on the half-hour mark, this time Upton turning from provider to scorer, dancing on the outside of the Fijian defence. Again Kelleher was wayward with the extras, though, with an 8-8 half-time score barely believable.

Though Fiji had chances to retake the lead, it was the home side that made their own pressure count, Church stepping back inside with a wonderful dart to the line on 40 minutes.

Kelleher made it 14-8, and she was again on target four minutes later when Jaime Chapman showed great strength to cross out wide.

Now 20-8 up, Australia were finally clicking into gear, and they had another on 51 minutes, Church registering her hat-trick with a superb catch and touchdown to Kelleher’s searching kick.

But if the Jillaroos thought they would have it all their own way, they would be mistaken.

With eight minutes to go, the Bulikula reduced the deficit to ten, Yaranamua again supplying a brilliant cut-out pass for Maria Paseka, with the former’s conversion making it 24-14.

That proved just too little, too late for Fiji, however, and it was Church again with her name in lights.

A Yaranamua bomb was missed by the onrushing Bulikula players, but Church gathered, rounded two Fijian defenders and sprinted home from 60 metres for a scintillating score.

Kelleher rounded things off with the conversion at 30-14, but boy Australia had been made to work hard for their final spot against a determined Fiji.

GAMESTAR: Abbi Church scored four.

GAMEBREAKER: Three Australia tries in eleven second-half minutes handed the Jillaroos an unassailable lead.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: The scenes when Luisa Yaranamua went over for an 8-0 lead were unrivalled.

MATCHFACTS

AUSTRALIA
1 Tamika Upton
2 Jaime Chapman
3 Jessica Sergis
4 Isabelle Kelly
5 Abbi Church
6 Jocelyn Kelleher
7 Tarryn Aiken
8 Millie Elliott
9 Olivia Higgins
10 Simaima Taufa
11 Tiana Penitani Gray
12 Shaylee Bent
13 Olivia Kernick
Subs
14 Keeley Nizza
15 Keilee Joseph
16 Kezie Apps
17 Sariah Paki

Tries: Church (25, 40, 51, 67), Upton (29), Chapman (44)
Goals: Kelleher 3/6

FIJI
1 Cassie Staples
2 Maria Paseka
3 Isabella Waterman
4 Sienna Lang
5 Taina Naividi
6 Luisa Yaranamua
7 Losana Lutu
8 Latisha Smythe
9 Sereana Naitokatoka
10 Lorren Ieli
11 Elizabeth Naleba
12 Talei Holmes
13 Leilani Ahsam
Subs
14 Tahlia Marshall
15 Teaghan Hartigan
16 Ema Masi
17 Aliti Namoce

Tries: Yaranamua (17), Paseka (62)
Goals: Yaranamua 3/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-2, 0-8, 4-8, 8-8; 14-8, 20-8, 24-8, 24-14, 30-14

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Australia: Abbi Church; Fiji: Luisa Yaranamua

Penalty count: 6-3
Half-time: 8-8
Referee: Belinda Sharpe