England lose 78-0 to Australia in Women's Rugby League World Cup pool match

England suffered a heavy 78-0 defeat to defending champions Australia in their second Group A match at the Women’s Rugby League World Cup in Perth. The Jillaroos dominated the contest from the opening whistle, scoring 15 tries to secure a clean sheet for the second consecutive game of the tournament. Despite the significant loss, England retains a mathematical chance of advancing to the semi-finals, provided they defeat Samoa in their final pool match on Friday.

The match began disastrously for the visitors, who were caught offside from the kick-off, resulting in an early penalty and a try for Jaime Chapman. England’s restart was botched again as Jenna Foubister kicked the ball into touch, allowing Australia to launch another attack that ended in a second Chapman try. The hosts continued to exploit errors, with Jocelyn Kelleher scoring twice in the first half, alongside tries from Julia Robinson, Isabelle Kelly, and Abbi Church. Australia led 36-0 at the interval, a margin similar to their previous encounter with England in Las Vegas in March 2025, where they won 90-4.

The second half saw the scoring continue unabated. Tarryn Aiken, Olivia Kernick, and Quincy Dodd all crossed the line within ten minutes of the restart. Abbi Church added another try after a regathered grubber by Kelleher, while Makenzie Weale, Tiani Penitani Gray, Kelly, and Shayley Bent completed the tally. Kelleher converted eight of the 15 tries, contributing 26 points to the total. Although England managed to produce some defensive moments late in the game, they were unable to contain the Australian attack, which was described as too quick and skilled for the visitors to manage.

Background

This match marked the second meeting between the two sides in recent history. In March 2025, Australia defeated England 90-4 in Las Vegas, a result that highlighted the significant gap in quality between the teams. Australia, as reigning world champions and co-hosts of the current tournament, have lost only one international match since 2016. In contrast, England has struggled to close the performance gap, with only six players from the current squad having featured in the Las Vegas match. Injuries also affected both teams during the Perth fixture; Julia Robinson suffered a broken wrist while being pinned by a teammate, and England’s Eva Hunter left the pitch with an ankle injury.

Why it matters

The result places England in a precarious position in Group A. To progress to the semi-finals, they must win their final group match against Samoa. The winner of that encounter will advance to the last four of the tournament. Manager Stuart Barrow acknowledged the disappointment of the scoreline, stating that the team competed more on plays than in previous defeats but was overwhelmed by Australia’s speed and skill. He noted that fatigue set in as England defended back-to-back sets, accelerating the momentum in Australia’s favour. The defeat underscores the ongoing challenge for England to improve their defensive discipline and error management against top-tier opposition.

What happens next

England will focus on recovering from the heavy loss ahead of their decisive match against Samoa on Friday. Barrow described the upcoming game as elimination football, noting that many of his players have experience in high-pressure do-or-die scenarios. The team will need to regroup quickly to secure a result that keeps their World Cup campaign alive.