Australia rout England 78-0 in Women's Rugby League World Cup Pool A in Perth
Australia defeated England 78-0 at HBF Park in Perth in a Pool A fixture of the Women's Rugby League World Cup on 24 October 2026, scoring 15 tries to none.
The 15-tries-to-none result underlined a sizable gulf between the sides and followed last year’s 90-4 defeat for England in Las Vegas. England have not beaten the Jillaroos in four previous meetings, and the side must refocus ahead of next week’s showdown with Fetu Samoa if they are to reach the semi-finals.
England fell behind early after being offside from the kick-off and immediately came under pressure. Australia fullback Tamika Upton broke the line on her first carry, and shortly after Tiana Penitani Gray, shifted into the starting lineup, drew two tacklers and passed to winger Jaime Chapman, who walked it over.
England’s debutant halfback Jenna Foubister kicked the ensuing kick-off out on the full, and on the next set Australia five-eighth Jocelyn Kelleher launched a last-tackle kick over English winger Anna Davies; Chapman read the flight and leapt to ground the ball for a try. Davies later appeared to have scored but the video referee ruled her knee had slid on to the sideline before the ball was grounded.
Upton continued to dominate with multiple linebreaks and had accumulated more than 100 metres before the 20-minute mark; in one sequence she shrugged off England fullback Fran Goldthorp and put Kelleher over for Australia’s third try. Julia Robinson, moved into the centres from the wing, scored the fourth try but was forced off after a shoulder-to-arm tackle from Shaylee Bent, leaving the field clutching her arm with the injury suspected to be a broken wrist.
Robinson’s removal brought on Roosters NRLW premiership winner Sariah Paki, a two-time Olympian in rugby sevens, making her debut appearance. After Olivia Kernick came close to scoring, the ball was moved left and Paki’s straight decoy run allowed halfback Tarryn Aiken to engage the line before Kelleher powered over; captain Isabelle Kelly then scored to make it 30-0. Winger Abbi Church, brought into the starting side that week, finished a flowing attack and the score stood at 36-0 at half-time — more points than minutes.
Early in the second half Aiken, Kernick and substitute Quincy Dodd crossed to push Australia past 50 points, and the match statistics favoured the hosts heavily with twice the possession, three times the run metres and 13 line breaks to none with still 20 minutes remaining. Kelleher executed a chip-and-chase that was regathered and passed to Upton who set up Church for another try; Makenzie Weale scored on debut after coming off the bench, and late tries from Penitani Gray, Kelly and Bent completed the 78-0 scoreline. English spectators in Perth had seen their men earlier that day defeat France 82-0.
Australia play Wales next Sunday in Sydney, while the semi-finals loom with a likely clash against Fiji, who pushed the Kiwi Ferns and beat Papua New Guinea 40-4 earlier on Saturday. England’s third pool match is against Fetu Samoa, who defeated Wales 76-0 on Friday; after this loss England will need a win on Friday to make their way into the semi-finals, where they will likely meet New Zealand.