Key events
68 mins: A hint of concern for Upton as she comes under heavy contact in a tackle and is left holding her neck. The Jillaroos No 1 takes some time to get to her feet but will be able to play out the match.
65 mins: The pace has slowed down as we edge towards the line but the Jillaroos still look the most likely to launch an attack. A horrible pass from the Kiwi Ferns gives the Jillaroos time to add to their score.
62 mins: Teakaraanga-Katoa almost forces her way over the line but again the Jillaroos defence blocks the way. New Zealand have found more shape in their attack but a loose pass sails out and the ball is back in Australia hands.
The Kiwi Ferns have less than 10 minutes to find a score and ensure they aren’t held scoreless for the first time in a women’s rugby league Test.
60 mins: The Jillaroos keep taking easy metres with the Kiwi Ferns looking exhausted now as the onslaught continues. That’s until the ball spills free in a tackle and a knock-on is called. Australia challenge but the decision is upheld and their visitors are out of reviews.
TRY! New Zealand 0-14 Australia (Sergis, 55)
A fantastic try from the Jillaroos as Jess Sergis gets on the end of a series of lightning passes to cross near the corner. Upton broke the play open with another charge through the middle as Australia then found more space to have the Kiwi Ferns running ragged until Sergis finished off the work. Aiken missing the kick.
54 mins: A mistake from Julia Robinson from the kick off gives the Kiwi Ferns the ball and they’re immediately on the attack. Biddle almost carries the ball across the line but this time it is the Jillaroos that are able to set up and hold firm.
Perhaps of more concern for Australia is that Olivia Higgins has been forced from the field and looks resigned to watching on for the remaining 15 minutes. Brigginshaw steps into dummy half.
TRY! New Zealand 0-10 Australia (Upton, 51)
Tamika Upton steps her way through the Kiwi Ferns defence and reaches over the line under heavy attention as the Jillaroos. It had been coming but that was some solo magic from Upton to ensure Australia start to make the most of their dominance.
Tarryn Aiken nails the kick this time to extend the Jillaroos’ lead.
52 mins: Gayle Broughton is brought to ground on the kick and the Kiwis Ferns earn a much-needed penalty. But just as they’re pushing towards some good positioning, Alexis Tauaneai knocks on in a timid tackle and the Jillaroos have the ball back.
49 mins: A big hit on Millie Elliott shakes the ball free and releases the pressure for the Kiwi Ferns. Let’s see if they can put together repeat sets if only to give their defence a breather.
46 mins: The Jillaroos keep building the pressure and Brigginshaw dribbles another kick under the posts. The Kiwi Ferns close down the danger but it’s another goalline drop-out for the visitors – the third of the game.
44 mins: Mele Hufanga goes on report for a high tackle on Jess Sergis who is now playing on the right in the second row for the Jillaroos.
42 mins: Simaima Taufa crosses the line in what first appears to be a sensational try after the Jillaroos kept the ball alive with some outrageous passing. But Taufa took the ball to ground just short of the line and it bounced clear before the Australian and the three tacklers crossed. A let off for the Kiwi Ferns but the signs are ominous.
39 mins: New Zealand make an error now as both sides are yet to wake up from the break. The Jillaroos are almost across the line again but Annessa Biddle pulls out a try-saving tackle. That’s not the first for the Kiwi Ferns in a sign of how this game is being played out.
37 mins: The Kiwi Ferns kick off and quickly have the Jillaroos on the ropes as a sloppy mistake hands the hosts a penalty and they continue to take ground.
The teams are back out for the second half. Can Australia pick up where they left off?
Half-time! New Zealand 0-4 Australia
The Kiwi Ferns refuse to run down the clock as they look to immediately strike back in the minute before the break. Ash Quinlan almost reaches the line but is held up about a metre short as the whistle sounds.
That was a free-flowing, fast-paced first half. The Kiwi Ferns had the better of the early exchanges but the Jillaroos were able to break through more as the half went on. Dogged defence from the hosts almost carried them through to half-time but Australia’s persistence, as well as New Zealand’s missed tackles mounting up, meant the visitors were good for their narrow lead.
Back shortly – don’t forget to shoot me an email with your thoughts and predictions.
TRY! New Zealand 0-4 Australia (Penitani, 32)
Tiana Penitani breaks the deadlock but Ali Brigginshaw from dummy half lit the spark with a pass that set the Jillaroos free. Penitani coming from five-eight has too much room as Mele Hufanga and Amber Hall took time to close down her run, and she uses her momentum to carry them across the line.
Tarryn Aiken hooks the kick from near the right sideline and could the lack of an obvious kicker for the Jillaroos prove to be decisive today, let alone over the coming weeks.
32 mins: Brigginshaw dribbles the ball under the posts as Penitani cleans up with yellow jerseys swarming. The Jillaroos make sure she can’t escape back into play and there is time to rebuild another attack.
30 mins: More territory for the Jillaroos and Upton ramps up the pressure with a chip over the line but this time it’s the Kiwi Ferns time to clear over the back. The hosts are hanging on a bit now with the break just five minutes away.
27 mins: The Jillaroos keep chipping away but the Kiwi Ferns defence holds firm. Brigginshaw tries to open them up with some creative kicking but Anderson is aware to the danger. The New Zealander has been leading the defensive line so far.
25 mins: Australia are awarded a penalty on their 40 and Togatuki responds with a scything run but New Zealand are impenetrable.
22 mins: New Zealand work their way back into this tough and tight contest and earn a penalty but again it is outside of a threatening age.
18 mins: The Jillaroos continue to press and find a way through but have been unable to make the most of being on top with some meek kicks to end their most recent sets.
16 mins: Kezie Apps almost takes full advantage of some sloppy defending from the Kiwi Ferns with a surge through the middle but is brought down with no teammates around her. The last 10 mins have been relentless and there are signs that fatigue is understandably setting in.
14 mins: Millie Elliott dives under the posts but is held up. Australia find another way through from the restart and Elliott crosses the line only to be held up again. Both sides have had to call on their defence prowess as this clash starts to liven up.
12 mins: The Jillaroos get the ball flinging around and are able to take some decent ground on the left.
10 mins: The Kiwi Ferns feed a scrum in their half after a knock-on from the Jillaroos. The hosts are unable to take enough ground until Biddle comes charging at the line but the ball is knocked on in the tackle. A welcome release of pressure for Australia.
8 mins: The Jillaroos take some good field position for the first time and almost find a way through in the corner until the Kiwi Ferns recover the ball on the bounce. New Zealand earn a penalty deep in their half but the visitors are prepared to use a review early.
6 mins: Silky hands get the Kiwi Ferns to within striking distance and a dribble kick from King causes confusion and mis-communication among the Jillaroos. They eventually tap it over the back on the second attempt but New Zealand will have another six. King pops another kick through the line and it bounces off the uprights until Brigginshaw tidies up for Australia.
4 mins: First penalty goes to the Kiwi Ferns for holding down Teakaraanga-Katoa but it’s far enough from danger that the hosts settle for another six. Broughton has been busy early as the Kiwi Ferns look to have settled faster.
2 mins: The Kiwi Ferns take their set of six and make up some decent ground before Broughton lets loose with a long kick. Australia take their turn and Penitani finds a small gap for the best of the early runs before a kick puts us back where we started.
Kick-off
Woof! Australia lay a boot into the ball and we’re on our way to discovering whether the Jillaroos can reclaim their crown as the dominant force in women’s rugby league, or that the Kiwi Ferns’ triumphant performance almost a year ago was far from a fluke.
Kiwi Ferns debutant Gayle Broughton leads the haka and it was one filled with as much passion as ever. New Zealand look like they mean business here as we approach kick-off.
The Jillaroos firepower that tore PNG apart last week remains, including star winger Julia Robinson who ran in six tries against the Orchids.
Catch up on the report from the Jillaroos record-breaking try haul against PNG (as well as the Kangaroos taking their time to overcome Tonga).
Australia XIII
Tamika Upton, Julia Robinson, Isabelle Kelly, Tiana Penitani, Jakiya Whitfeld, Ali Brigginshaw, Tarryn Aiken, Millie Elliott, Olivia Higgins, Shannon Mato, Kezie Apps, Yasmin Clydsdale, Simaima Taufa
Bench: Sarah Togatuki, Keilee Joseph, Mahalia Murphy, Jess Sergis
Captain Ali Brigginshaw returns to the Jillaroos starting line-up after being a late withdrawal from the team that thumped PNG due to a finger injury. Olivia Higgins starts in place of Quincy Dodd who injured a quad last week, while Jess Sergis will take a spot on the bench with Jess Elliston also succumbing to a quad concern and a late withdrawal this time.
New Zealand XIII
Apii Nicholls, Leianne Tufuga, Mele Hufanga, Abigail Roache, Shanice Parker, Gayle Broughton, Tyla King, Brianna Clark, Brooke Anderson, Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa, Annessa Biddle, Amber Hall, Georgia Hale
Bench: Amber Hall, Ash Quinlan, Alexis Tauaneai, Tiana Davison
Olympic rugby sevens gold medallist Gayle Broughton joins the team for her Kiwi Ferns debut.
Support for the national rugby league teams is increasingly shown in traditional green and gold, and the ARLC is cashing in on their novel idea to sell their jerseys at reasonable prices.
Jack Snape has more on the cost of wearing team colours, and one retailer that has enough clout to be able to make a call on premium pricing:
Preamble
Martin Pegan
Hello and Kia ora! Welcome to live coverage of the women’s rugby league Test between the Kiwi Ferns and Jillaroos.
This is the first leg of a Pacific Championships double-header with both matches to be fought out between old rivals New Zealand and Australia, and both taking place at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch.
Angus Fontaine will be with you later, and with separate live coverage, for the Kiwis and Kangaroos clashing in the men’s Test. But for now, it’s all about the women and what looms as a tense, tantalising match-up.
The Jillaroos made an ominous start to their campaign with an 84-0 thrashing of PNG Orchids last week but face a tougher test – with the added incentive of chasing a touch of redemption – against today’s hosts.
The Kiwi Ferns stunned the highly-fancied Jillaroos 12-6 in the Pacific Cup final last year, when Jaime Chapman crossed for the opening try to Australia but the heavy favourites then crumbled to suffer their first defeat in 15 matches and across seven years.
Chapman was controversially left out of the Jillaroos squad for this tournament, despite being NSW State of Origin player of the year, but coach Brad Donald has hardly shied away from making the big calls with Dally M Medallist Olivia Kernick also snubbed.
Even without that classy duo, the Jillaroos are sure to come out breathing fire as they look to make a statement against the side that stole their thunder last year. The powerhouse of women’s rugby league will also want to keep a surviving record intact of not losing to the same team in back-to-back matches since 2016.
Kick-off is 1.35pm AEDT or 3.35pm NZDT in Christchurch. I’ll be back shortly with the line-ups and team news.
Remember to get in touch with any comments, questions, thoughts and predictions. You can find me on X @martinpegan or shoot me an email. Let’s get into it!