NEW ZEALAND 4 AUSTRALIA 10
TOM SMITH, Eden Park, Auckland, Sunday

ABBI CHURCH enjoyed a memorable Test debut as the Jillaroos held off the Kiwi Ferns in a low-scoring battle at Eden Park.

Australian coach Jess Skinner called up Church at the eleventh hour due to a calf injury to star fullback Tamika Upton, and the Parramatta number one scored what proved to be the match-winning try early in the second half before suffering cramps late.

Despite perfect conditions in Auckland, this clash between women’s rugby league’s two strongest nations turned into a tense defensive struggle.

It took Australian winger Jessica Sergis 31 minutes to open the scoring, before Church touched down for a debut try.

Annessa Biddle struck back for the Kiwi Ferns but the Aussies nursed their slender lead to the full-time siren.

The Jillaroos continue to have the wood over their trans-Tasman rivals, having now won ten of their last 11 meetings.

Australia thrashed Samoa 60-0 at Suncorp Stadium the Sunday prior, and Skinner’s only change to her 17 was adding Sarah Togatuki for Jakiya Whitfeld on the bench – before Upton’s injury brought Church into the line-up.

The Kiwi Ferns had a much trickier time against the Samoans a fortnight ago, forced to overhaul a 20-0 half-time deficit to prevail by two points.

Ricky Henry swapped Tysha Ikenasio for Leianne Tufuga on the flank, Brianna Clark for Tiana Davison up front and Shaniece Monschau for Shakira Baker off the bench.

The Jillaroos lost dummy-half Keeley Davis to a shoulder injury within just two minutes, bringing impact sub Quincy Dodd into the equation earlier than expected.

After the early arm wrestle, the Australians had their first serious chance when a Jesse Southwell bomb beat the Kiwi defenders, although Julia Robinson couldn’t reel it in.

The boot of Southwell’s opposite number Raecene McGregor also posed NZ’s biggest threat, although a desperate Church denied Apii Nicholls metres from the line.

With the clock ticking down to half-time, the women in gold eventually broke through when Sergis out-muscled three defenders to find the right corner.

And Southwell’s sideline conversion were the only other points of the half.

The headgear-clad halfback caused more headaches for the hosts seven minutes after the restart. Tiana Penitani and Nicholls clashed in pursuit of a Southwell grubber before Church scooped up the crumbs to score.

But after Mele Hufanga dumped Church into touch, Biddle caught the Australian defence napping.

With Church stretching a cramp on the sideline, the Jillaroos turned to referee Belinda Sharpe expecting her to call a stoppage – and when no whistle came, Biddle sprinted through a gap to race 80 metres to score.

With NZ now on top and probing for an equaliser, Australia lost Church to those cramps, with winger Robinson heading to the back.

Centre Abigail Roache came within inches of grounding a McGregor kick.

Then with their last roll of the dice, the rampaging Hufanga couldn’t find Biddle in support and the visitors held on to their six-point advantage.

These two sides now meet again in the Pacific Cup final at CommBank Stadium in Parramatta this Sunday.

GAMESTAR: Yasmin Clydsdale got through a huge 70-minute shift, tallying 158 running metres and 26 tackles.

GAMEBREAKER: The Jillaroos couldn’t relax until the Kiwi Ferns spurned a late chance through wrecking ball Mele Hufanga.

MATCHFACTS
NEW ZEALAND
1 Apii Nicholls (New Zealand Warriors)
2 Shanice Parker (Newcastle Knights)
3 Abigail Roache (North Queensland Cowboys)
4 Mele Hufanga (Brisbane Broncos)
5 Leianne Tufuga (Canberra Raiders)
6 Patricia Maliepo (New Zealand Warriors)
7 Raecene McGregor (St George Illawarra Dragons)
8 Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa (Canterbury Bulldogs)
9 Brooke Anderson (Cronulla Sharks)
10 Tiana Davison (Newcastle Knights)
11 Annessa Biddle (Cronulla Sharks)
12 Otesa Pule (Sydney Roosters)
13 Georgia Hale (Gold Coast Titans)
Subs (all used)
14 Ashleigh Quinlan (Canterbury Bulldogs)
15 Shaniece Monschau (Canterbury Bulldogs)
16 Alexis Tauaneai (Canterbury Bulldogs)
17 Ivana Lauitiiti (New Zealand Warriors)

Tries: Biddle (51)
Goals: McGregor 0/1

AUSTRALIA
19 Abbi Church (Parramatta Eels)
2 Julia Robinson (Brisbane Broncos)
3 Isabelle Kelly (Sydney Roosters)
4 Tiana Penitani Gray (Cronulla Sharks)
5 Jessica Sergis (Sydney Roosters)
6 Ali Brigginshaw (Brisbane Broncos)
7 Jesse Southwell (Newcastle Knights)
8 Ellie Johnston (Cronulla Sharks)
9 Keeley Davis (Sydney Roosters)
10 Jessika Elliston (Gold Coast Titans)
11 Kezie Apps (Wests Tigers)
12 Yasmin Clydsdale (Newcastle Knights)
13 Olivia Kernick (Sydney Roosters)
Subs (all used)
14 Quincy Dodd (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
15 Keilee Joseph (Brisbane Broncos)
16 Rima Butler (Sydney Roosters)
17 Sarah Togatuki (Wests Tigers)

Tries: Sergis (32), Church (43)
Goals: Southwell 1/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6; 0-10, 4-10

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Women of the Match
New Zealand: Annessa Biddle; Australia: Yasmin Clydsdale

Penalty count: 3-4
Half-time: 0-6
Referee: Belinda Sharpe