Women's Rugby League World Cup: Australia set up fifth straight final vs New Zealand after scare vs debutants Fiji
Abbi Church scores four tries as Jillaroos come from behind to win 30-14 and reach next weekend's final in Brisbane; Fiji can take plenty of pride from performances in first World Cup; Australia have won last three tournaments; New Zealand blanked Samoa 32-0 in Saturday's first semi-final
Last Updated: 08/11/26 8:52am
Defending champions Australia set up a fifth consecutive Women's Rugby League World Cup final against New Zealand after coming from behind to beat a spirited Fiji in Sydney.
The Jillaroos, who have beaten New Zealand in the last three finals since they were thumped 34-0 by the the Kiwi Ferns in the 2008 showpiece in Brisbane, won 30-14 against Fiji as Abbi Church notched four tries.
Fiji opened up a shock 8-0 lead as Luisa Yaranamua followed a penalty by scoring a try that she also converted, leaving the home side trailing for the first time in the tournament, but Australia made it 8-8 by the break and then dominated the second half.
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Australia had won all three of their group games, scoring 242 points and conceding just six, but this was a real test.
Church leapt over the line for the hosts' first try after 25 minutes before Tamika Upton doubled that tally four minutes later to level the scores.
The Jillaroos failed to add the bonus points for both tries, though, as Jocelyn Kelleher missed the conversions.
Fiji ended the first half well, although Australia then took over in the second period as Church scored again prior to a Jaime Chapman try - Kelleher applying the conversions this time.
Church then completed her hat-trick after catching Tarryn Aiken's kick and grounding the ball.
A converted effort from Maria Paseka gave Fiji hope but Church had the final say with her fourth try of the evening - jinking away from two defenders around 30 metres out before sprinting clear to score.
A Fiji team with nowhere near the level of experience of their opponents can be proud of their performance in this game and the tournament as a whole, with the World Cup novices recording group-stage wins over Papua New Guinea and France and pushing New Zealand in an 18-12 defeat in their other match.
New Zealand, aiming to deny Australia a fourth straight World Cup title in Brisbane next Sunday, defeated Samoa 32-0 in Saturday's first semi-final in Newcastle.
