NEW ZEALAND 32 SAMOA 0
LORRAINE MARSDEN, McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle, Saturday
NEW ZEALAND kept up their record of appearing in every World Cup final after a dominant second half in particular brought an end to Samoa’s tournament.
Stacey Waaka led the way with a hat-trick – taking her to nine tries for the tournament – but captain Raecene McGregor was also instrumental as New Zealand proved themselves too strong.
Both sides made changes from their final group game victories with Mele Hufanga returning at centre for New Zealand in place of Abigail Roache, while Chantay Kiria-Ratu replaced Zahara Temara in the halves. Annessa Biddle was named on the bench in place of Brooke Anderson, with Otesa Pule starting ahead of Shannon Mato, who switched to the bench.
Samoa’s hat-trick hero against England, Freedom Crichton Ropati, missed out with an ankle injury and was replaced by 18-year-old debutant Anastasia Leatupue. Fanua Rimoni was handed a starting spot at loose-forward with Tavarna Papalii moved to the bench, while Jasmine Fogavini and Christian Pio replaced Jetaya Faifua and Jaydika Tafua as substitutes.
It took just two minutes for New Zealand to get the scoreboard ticking over when Mackenzie Wiki, daughter of Kiwi great Reuben, was on the end of a slick passing move to go in at the corner.
Once upon a time, such an early try would surely have opened the floodgates, but what was expected to be a close game between two strong sides certainly lived up to those expectations in the opening stages when both defences worked hard and forced errors from their opponents.
As good as their work without the ball was, Samoa struggled to find the cutting edge they needed in attack, and despite having the ball close to the New Zealand line for a solid five-minute spell, they were unable to break through and cancel out Wiki’s opener.
As it was, just minutes later, when the Ferns were back on the attack, McGregor spotted the smallest of gaps in the Samoa defence to perfectly place a kick for Waaka to gather in the in-goal area.
With the wind building in Newcastle, Chantay Kiria-Ratu was once again unable to add the conversion, but the Kiwis held an 8-0 lead which they took into the break.
The second half started just as close as periods of the first half had been, with defences on top to limit any real chances near the line, but ultimately more errors from Samoa allowed New Zealand to get a foothold into the game and dominate the latter stages
Nine minutes after the restart, McGregor’s boot once again but the Kiwis in for their third try. After the ball was worked left to right, the halfback showed neat footwork to evade a would-be Samoa tackler to perfectly place another kick into Waaka’s hands for her to race in close to the posts for her second of the game. With the rain now coming down, Kiria-Ratu landed her first conversion of the game from in front of posts which were swaying in the stormy conditions.
New Zealand could have had the match sewn up with just over 15 to go when a break from Ashleigh Quinlan looked to put Alexis Tauaneai in next to the posts, but the prop was unable to take the final pass and the try went begging.
But the win was confirmed just minutes later when Hufanga bundled herself over after another Samoa error had handed possession straight back from a Ferns goal-line drop-out, before a strong leg drive from Kaiyah Atai completed a quick-fire double for Ricky Henry’s side.
With the Kiwis now in full control they added further tries when a majestic offload from Biddle put Waaka in for her hat-trick, before McGregor went in under the posts after neat work from Quinlan. Kiria-Ratu added her second goal of the game as they confirmed a seventh straight final appearance.
GAMESTAR: Hat-trick hero Stacey Waaka took the headlines, but Raecene McGregor was a close second.
GAMEBREAKER: Mele Hufanga’s try twelve minutes from the end not only put New Zealand into a crucial three-score lead, but also sparked a late flurry that confirmed their place in the final.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: The offload from Annessa Biddle for Stacey Waaka’s hat-trick score was something very special.
MATCHFACTS
NEW ZEALAND
1 Apii Nicholls
2 Leianne Tufuga
3 Mele Hufanga
4 Stacey Waaka
5 Mackenzie Wiki
6 Chantay Kiria-Ratu
7 Raecene McGregor
8 Alexis Tauaneai
9 Georgia Hale
10 Otesa Pule
11 Shaniece Monschau
12 Kaiyah Atai
13 Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa
Subs (all used)
14 Ashleigh Quinlan
15 Annessa Biddle
16 Shannon Mato
17 Ivana Lauitiiti
Tries: Wiki (2), Waaka (25, 44, 64), Hufanga (58), Atai (60), McGregor (66)
Goals: Kiria-Ratu 2/7
SAMOA
1 Destiny Mino-Sinapati
2 Mercedez Taulelei-Siala
3 Monica Tagoai
4 Tyra Ekepati
19 Anastasia Leatupue
6 Evania Isa’ako
7 Pauline Piliae-Rasabale
8 Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala
9 Mary-Jane Taito
10 Laikha Clarke
11 Leilani Wilson
12 Ivana Lolesio
13 Fanua Rimoni
Subs (all used)
14 Tavarna Papalii
15 Christabelle Onesemo-Tuilaepa
16 Jasmine Fogavini
17 Christian Pio
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 8-0; 14-0, 18-0, 22-0, 26-0, 32-0
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Women of the Match
New Zealand: Stacey Waaka; Samoa: Evania Isa’ako
Penalty count: 2-4
Half-time: 8-0
Referee: Tara Jones
