Yasmin Clydsdale of Australia and Brianna Clark of New Zealand. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
The Kiwi Ferns have created history, but not the kind they were hoping for.
For the first time in 61 test matches, the Ferns have been kept scoreless, beaten 14-0 by the Jillaroos in Christchurch this afternoon.
After an intensely tight first half, the Ferns faded badly in the second, a calculated breaking down of their defence which saw Australia run away with it.
Conceding a try late in the first, the Jillaroos ran in more in the second to shut out the hosts.
It was a closely fought contest across the opening exchanges, with some desperate Kiwi Ferns defence keeping Australia at bay.
Millie Elliott came closest to breaking the deadlock for the Jillaroos on the 20-minute mark but was held up over the line.
Gayle Broughton of New Zealand tackles Jakiya Whitfeld of Australia. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Both sides were brutal in defence, another Aussie raid quashed as fullback Apii Nicholls expertly swept up a grubber in-goal.
While the hits were ferocious, poor handling was stifling the attack.
Camped on their own line, a stunning tackle from marker by Tiana Davison forced a crucial turnover and relieved the pressure on the Kiwi Ferns.
It wouldn't last long though as Australia continued to pepper the Kiwi line, Nicholls forced to ground it in-goal for consecutive line drop outs.
It proved too much and the Kiwis cracked just two minutes from the break, Tiana Penitani striking in thrilling style as she streaked down the sideline and broke through the cover attempts to put the opening points on the board.
With 45 seconds on the clock, the Ferns were given a chance to reply, but ran out of tackles to finish a fiercely fought half down 4-0.
Just seven minutes into the second Australia appeared to have bagged a second through Simaima Taufa after a superb piece of interplay, but replays showed she was just short of the chalk.
The relentless onslaught continued, back to back sets again leading to a try, Tamika Upton powering her way to the line to give the Jillaroos a 10-0 advantage with less than twenty to play.
An error from the kick off opened the door for the Kiwi Ferns, but a poor kick on the final play quickly silenced the home crowd.
The final nail then came as Upton exploded up the centre of the park, the broken Ferns defence unable to recover as they shifted it wide for Jessica Sergis to crash over.
Sending the restart out on the full summed up the Kiwi Ferns second half misery, and they now look to bounce back against Papua New Guinea next weekend.
Scorers
Jillaroos 14 (Penitani, Upton, Sergis, tries, Aitken 1 goals)
Kiwi Ferns 0
Georgia Hale (C) of the Kiwi Ferns is tackled by Yasmin Clydsdale of the Jillaroos during the Pacific Rugby League Championship. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2024 www.photosport.nz
