AUSTRALIA 60 SAMOA 0
TOM SMITH, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Sunday
TAMIKA UPTON scored two tries and set up two more as the Jillaroos annihilated injury-hit Samoa in front of a huge Suncorp Stadium crowd.
While Upton enjoyed a day out at the back, wingers Julia Robinson and Jessica Sergis also bagged braces and halfback Jesse Southwell made a dream debut, assisting two tries and booting eight goals.
Seven days after throwing away a 20-0 half-time lead against New Zealand, the Samoans suffered a horror day on the injury front, with no fit players on the bench late in the second half.
Jillaroos coach Jess Skinner injected plenty of new blood into her line-up, handing Test bows to Southwell, Rima Butler and Ellie Johnston.
In their first meeting since 2011, the Aussies immediately set the tone.
Sergis struck twice in the opening ten minutes – the first courtesy of Upton, the second via Kezie Apps.
With Destiny Mino-Sinapati in the sin-bin for a professional foul after an Upton bust, Fetu Samoa leaked two more tries to Upton and Olivia Kernick off Quincy Dodd’s boot.
Robinson nabbed her first to make it 26-0 at the break, and the onslaught only continued in the second half.
Dodd and Yasmin Clydsdale scored soon after the restart, before Robinson produced the highlight of the day, flying for a Southwell kick.
Jakiya Whitfeld, Upton and Apps completed the 11-try rout of the wounded Samoans.
AUSTRALIA: 1 Tamika Upton (Brisbane Broncos), 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 Rima Butler (Sydney Roosters), 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 Sharks), 15 Keilee Joseph (Brisbane Broncos), 16 Ellie Johnston (Cronulla Sharks), 17 Jakiya Whitfeld (North Queensland Cowboys)
Tries: Sergis (7, 9), Upton (20, 63), Kernick (23), Robinson (32, 51), Dodd (39), Clydsdale (42), Whitfeld (61), Apps (63); Goals: Southwell 8/11
SAMOA: 1 Destiny Mino-Sinapati (Gold Coast Titans), 2 Jessica Patea (Illawarra Steelers), 3 Lindsay Tui (Parramatta Eels), 4 Sarina Masaga (Gold Coast Titans), 5 Mercedez Taulelei-Siala (Newcastle Knights), 6 Taliah Fuimaono (Gold Coast Titans), 7 Jetaya Faifua (Wests Tigers), 8 Annetta-Claudia Nu’uausala (Brisbane Broncos), 9 Destiny Brill (Brisbane Broncos), 10 Eliza Lopamua (Sydney Roosters), 11 Tavarna Papalii (Sydney Roosters), 12 Ryvrr-Lee Alo (Parramatta Eels), 17 Shalom Sauaso (Brisbane Broncos). Subs (all used): 13 Pihuka Berryman-Duff (Wests Tigers), 14 Ella-Jaye Harrison-Leaunoa (Ipswich Jets), 15 Laikha Clarke (Gold Coast Titans), 16 Jaydika Tafua (Cronulla Sharks)
Sin bin: Mino-Sinapati (14) – professional foul
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 10-0, 16-0, 22-0, 26-0; 32-0, 38-0, 44-0, 48-0, 54-0, 60-0
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Women of the Match
Australia: Tamika Upton; Samoa: Shalom Sauaso
Penalty count: 6-5; Half-time: 26-0; Referee: Kasey Badger; Attendance: 30,852
