Jillaroos rout Wales 124-6 in Pool A at Rugby League World Cup

Australia's Jillaroos defeated Wales 124-6 in a Pool A match at the Rugby League World Cup on Sunday, setting a new tournament scoring benchmark.

The 124-6 score established new women's World Cup records for total points and winning margin, surpassing Australia's 92-0 win over France in 2022; the total also exceeded the men's tournament record of 110-4 set by the Kangaroos against Russia in 2000, and was described as the highest score recorded in an international rugby league match despite the women's game being 10 minutes shorter than the men's.

The game was one-sided from the outset: Australia led 60-0 at half-time and finished with 20 tries to Wales' solitary try. By half-time Wales had managed only five tackle sets, while Australia ran for more than 2,000 metres—almost ten times Wales' total—and recorded 22 line breaks to nil and 56 tackle breaks to one.

Coach Jess Skinner made several selection changes for the match, bringing in halfback Jesse Southwell for her first appearance of the tournament and resting Jocelyn Kelleher; Makenzie Weale and Sariah Paki were promoted into the starting XIII. Julia Robinson missed the match because of a wrist injury, and the Jillaroos had already beaten Samoa and England in their opening two pool games.

Jaime Chapman finished with six tries, recording a hat-trick by half-time and adding a sixth in the final minute, while centre Jess Sergis scored four tries. By half-time all the outside backs had crossed the line along with Kezie Apps and Sariah Paki; Keilee Joseph scored early after the restart and Australia continued to add scores through the second half.

Jesse Southwell's run of perfect goal-kicking ended on her 15th conversion attempt, and the team passed the 92-point mark with about 15 minutes remaining. Tamika Upton contributed two tries and the conversion from the first of her tries took Australia to 100 points.

Wales' lone try came with around 10 minutes remaining when Paige Travis collected a grubber from Bulldogs halfback Tayla Preston; it was the only try Australia conceded in the pool stage, meaning the margin did not eclipse the men’s international record of France's 120-0 win over Serbia in 2003.

Australia had already secured a semi-final place and will face Fiji next Sunday.