Date: 23/11/17 (Photo Credit NRLPhotos)

 

Australia will play Canada and New Zealand will meet England in the semi-finals of the Rugby League Women’s World Cup at Southern Cross Group Stadium on Sunday, following the completion of the pool rounds.

The Kiwi Ferns, who have won four of the previous five Women’s World Cups, finished unbeaten at the top of Pool B after wins against Canada, Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea, while the world champion Jillaroos were also undefeated in the pool rounds to top Pool A after wins over Cook Islands, England and Canada.

The Jillaroos crossed for a remarkable 37 tries in their three pool games and scored a total of 184 points while conceding just four points, but New Zealand were just as impressive and also conceded just one try while scoring 164 points.

However, the individual player statistics underline the talent that also exists in the other nations, with players from Canada, Cook Islands, England and Papua New Guinea featuring prominently among the leader boards.

While the Cooks Islands Moana and PNG Orchids bow out of the tournament after Wednesday night, both teams won many admirers for the their skill and courage among the fans who attended the three rounds of pool games at Southern Cross Group Stadium or watched on the screens of Seven.

The Moana’s win over England on Wednesday and Canada’s historic defeat of the Orchids last Sunday to secure a semi-final berth were among the highlights of the World Cup so far and culminated in emotional scenes at Southern Cross Group Stadium.

PNG Orchids also did themselves and the Rugby League-mad nation proud at their first Rugby League Women’s World Cup and trailed just 8-0 at half time against the Kiwi Ferns on Wednesday night.

The kick-off times for the semi-finals of the Rugby League Women’s World Cup on Sunday, 26 November at Southern Cross Group Stadium are:

  • 1.45pm (AEDT): England v New Zealand
  • 4pm (AEDT): Australia v Canada

The winners will meet in the final at Brisbane Stadium on Saturday, 2 December, which will be the first time the Rugby League Women’s World Cup champions have been crowned at the same venue on the same day as the men’s World Cup victors.

Please find tables, statistic leader boards and results from the pool rounds below:
 
Tables after the completion of Round 3 Pool matches
 

  Pool A

Won

Lost

Draw

For

Against

Diff

Points

  Australia

    3   

   0   

   0

     184

          4

 +180

   6

  England

    1

   2

   0

       52

         68

   -16

   2

  Cook Islands

    1

   2

   0

       26

       150

 -124

   2

  Pool B

Won

Lost

Draw

For

Against

Diff

Points

  New Zealand         

   3   

  0 

   0 

  164 

       4

        +160

   6

  Canada

   1  

  2   

   0  

    26

    146

         -120   

   2

  Papua New Guinea

   0  

  3 

   0   

   16  

      96   

           -80

   0

   
Try Scorers
 

   Player

     Nation

Tries

 Points

 Honey Hireme     

 New Zealand  

   8

    32

 Karina Brown

 Australia

   4   

    16  

 Vanessa Foliaki

 Australia 

    4

    16 

 Elianna Walton

 Australia

    4

    16

 
Point Scorers
 

   Player

Nation

Tries

 Goals

  GK%

 Points

  Kimiora Nati        

 New Zealand   

   0 

   17 

  73.91

   34

  Honey Hireme

 New Zealand  

   8   

     0  

  N/A

   32

  Maddie Studdon

 Australia  

   1

   12  

  63.16  

   28  

  Caitlin Moran

 Australia

   3

     4

  44.40

   20

    
Tackles
 

   Player

Nation

 Games

 Tackles

  Avg

  Emily Rudge

 England  

     3 

   95

  31.67

  Kimiora Nati        

 New Zealand  

     2   

   56  

  28

  Gillian Boag

 Canada

     2

   55 

  27.5 

  Andrea Dobson

 England

     3

   82

  27.33

   
Try Assists
 

   Player

Nation

 Games

 TAs

  Avg

  Maddie Studdon

 Australia 

      2

   6

    3

  Ali Brigginshaw     

 Australia 

      3   

   7  

    2.33

  Shontelle Woodman

 New Zealand

      2

   4 

    2

  Amelia Kuk

 PNG

      1

   2

    2

   
Line Breaks
 

   Player

Nation

Games

 LBs

 Avg

  Honey Hireme        

 New Zealand   

     2 

   10 

   5

  Teuila Fotu-Moala

 New Zealand  

    1   

  3  

   3

  Isabelle Kelly

 Australia  

     2

   5 

  2.5  

 
Run Metres
 

   Player

Nation

Games

Metres

  Avg

  Honey Hireme

 New Zealand   

    2 

   352.6

 176.3

  Isabelle Kelly

 Australia  

    2   

   328.2  

 164.1

  Amelia Kuk

 PNG Orchids 

    1

   149.8 

 149.8  

  Raecene McGregor

 New Zealand

    1

   144.8

 144.8

  Karina Brown

 Australia

    2

   289.4

 144.7

  Toka Natua

 Cook Islands

    3

   421.6

 140.53

   
Offloads
 

   Player

Nation

 Games

Offloads

   Avg

  Toka Natua        

 Cook Islands  

      3 

    14

   4.67

  Brenda Goro

 PNG Orchids  

      2   

      6  

   3

  Andrea Dobson

 England  

      3

      6 

   2  

  Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate

 Cook Islands

      3

      6

   2

   
Post Contact Metres
 

   Player

Nation

 Games

 PCM

  Avg

  Simiana Taufa-Kautai      

 Australia   

   2

 133.5

 66.75

  Natasha Smith

 Canada  

    2 

 111.9  

 55.95

  Heather Ballinger

 Australia  

    2

 106  

 53.00  

  Toka Natua

 Cook Islands

    3

 154.7    

 51.57

  Steph Hancock

 Australia

    2

 101

 50.5

   
Results

Round 3
Wednesday, 22 November at Southern Cross Group Stadium

Cook Islands Moana 22 England Women 16
Australia Jillaroos 88 Canada Ravens 0
NZ Kiwi Ferns 38 PNG Orchids 0

Round 2
Sunday, 19 November at Southern Cross Group Stadium
Australia Jillaroos 38 England Women 0
NZ Kiwi Ferns 76 Cook Islands 0
Canada Ravens 22 PNG Orchids 8
 
Round 1
Thursday, 16 November at Southern Cross Group Stadium
NZ Kiwi Ferns 50 Canada Ravens 4
Australia 58 Cook Islands 4
England Women 36 PNG Orchids 8