Women's Rugby League World Cup: Australia beat England 78-0 in Perth; Robinson hurts wrist

Holders Australia beat England 78-0 in women’s Pool A of the Rugby League World Cup at HBF Park, Perth, on Saturday 24 October (9:05am GMT kick-off). Australia scored 15 tries and led 36-0 at half-time, NRL.com and BBC Sport reported.

Australia 78 England 0

England conceded a penalty for being offside at the kick-off, and Jaime Chapman scored the first try in the second minute, NRL.com said. Chapman soon added a second, catching a kick from Jocelyn Kelleher.

Tamika Upton broke through on a kick return to send Kelleher over, then set up tries for Julia Robinson and Isabelle Kelly. Abbi Church scored just before half-time.

Tarryn Aiken scored soon after the break and Olivia Kernick, who was named player of the match, ran in under the posts. Church’s second try, in the 46th minute, made it 58-0. Makenzie Weale scored on her Australia debut, and Tiana Penitani-Gray, Kelly and Shaylee Bent added late tries.

Scorers (NRL.com, BBC Sport): Tries: Chapman 2, Kelleher 2, Church 2, Kelly 2, Robinson, Aiken, Kernick, Dodd, Weale, Penitani-Gray, Bent. Goals: Kelleher 9.

Injuries

Robinson left the field in the first half. NRL.com described the injury as a suspected fractured wrist, and BBC Sport reported a broken wrist. For England, Eva Hunter went off in the first half with a left ankle injury, according to NRL.com.

The two teams had last met in Las Vegas in March 2025, when Australia won 90-4, BBC Sport said.

What’s next

England play Samoa at WIN Stadium, Wollongong, on Friday 30 October (6:45am GMT), with a semi-final place at stake. Australia finish their pool games against Wales on Sunday 1 November.

Saturday’s other World Cup results

• Men’s Pool B/C: Samoa 64-6 Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby); England 82-0 France (Perth).
• Women’s Pool B: Fiji 40-4 Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby), Fiji’s first World Cup win.

Full report: Samoa beat PNG 64-6, England beat France 82-0 and Fiji women beat PNG 40-4.

Standings after Saturday 24 October (played, points, points difference)

Calculated from official results published by the International Rugby League and NRL.com.

Women:

• Pool A: 1. Australia (2 played, 4 pts, +118); 2. Samoa (2 played, 2 pts, +36); 3. England (2 played, 2 pts, -14); 4. Wales (2 played, 0 pts, -140).
• Pool B: 1. Fiji (2 played, 2 pts, +30); 2. Papua New Guinea (2 played, 2 pts, +18); 3. New Zealand (1 played, 2 pts, +6); 4. France (1 played, 0 pts, -54).

Men:

• Pool A: 1. Fiji (1 played, 2 pts, +28); 2. Australia (1 played, 2 pts, +2); 3. New Zealand (1 played, 0 pts, -2); 4. Cook Islands (1 played, 0 pts, -28).
• Combined Pool B/C: 1. Samoa (2 played, 4 pts, +132); 2. Tonga (2 played, 4 pts, +54); 3. England (2 played, 2 pts, +64); 4. Papua New Guinea (2 played, 2 pts, -34); 5. Lebanon (2 played, 0 pts, -60); 6. France (2 played, 0 pts, -156).

Sunday 25 October fixtures (all times GMT)

• 3:00am GMT: Women’s Pool B, New Zealand v France (One NZ Stadium, Christchurch).
• 5:05am GMT: Men’s Pool A, New Zealand v Cook Islands (One NZ Stadium, Christchurch).
• 9:05am GMT: Men’s Pool A, Australia v Fiji (Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane).

See also: Women’s World Cup round one: England beat Wales 70-6, Australia beat Samoa 40-0