England's women conceded 17 tries in Australia defeat
Full-back Tamika Upton scored five tries in the first meeting between the sides since 2017, with Julie Robinson and Jess Sergis grabbing hat-tricks as the Jilleroos dominated.
Robinson set the ball rolling inside five minutes, Tiana Penitani and Upton crossing to make it 14-0 inside the opening 15 minutes.
England did have their share of possession in the opening half-hour, but could find no way through the Australian defence – their opponents, by contrast, making the most of almost every opportunity.
Upton completed her hat-trick inside 30 minutes, Shannon Moto, Isabelle Kelly and Robinson all crossing before the break, three Tarryn Aiken conversions making the interval score 38-0.
The second half started with a sickening collision between England's Vicky Whitehead and Sarah Togatuki which saw both players leave the field.
Whitehead headed to hospital for checks after lengthy treatment.
If anything, the second period was even more one-sided. Kelly added her second before Upton claimed two more and Robinson completed her hat-trick.
Jess Sergis, who had one score ruled out by the video referee, claimed her three tries in 14 minutes after coming off the bench, with Jakiya Whitfield and Keilee Joseph also touching down.
Aiken added eight more conversions to briefly threaten three figures.
But England rallied to have the last word, Georgia Roche stretching out in the tackle to reach the line in the final play of the game.
The match was played as part of a day of rugby league at Allegiant Stadium alongside Wigan Warriors' 48-24 win over Warrington Wolves in the Super League and the first two matches of Australia's NRL season.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
5 minutes ago
- The Guardian
AFL urged to lock in women's grand final at its own 53,000 capacity Marvel Stadium
Leading figures in the AFLW have urged officials to think big around the venue for November's grand final, and prioritise women's football over concerts and supercross at the AFL-owned Marvel Stadium. Last year's premiership was decided at a sold out, 12,000-capacity Ikon Park in Carlton where North Melbourne overcame Brisbane to win the club's first flag in 25 years. Jasmine Garner, who takes over the Kangaroos captaincy from Emma Kearney this season, said locking in the grand final at Marvel Stadium each year ensures the AFLW showpiece is given its best chance of success. 'You don't have to worry about what the weather's going to do on the day because, you just never know with the suburban grounds, the weather can play a huge part in it,' she said. Bre Koenen, the Lions skipper, said it was important for the AFLW to establish traditions and build supporter habits even if it meant interstate teams would forego hosting rights and had to travel to compete in the grand final. 'I'd love it to be at the same place, same time, just predictable to people,' she said. 'It makes sense to me at Marvel, in the heart of footy [in Victoria],' she said. 'People come to Melbourne for [men's] grand final weekend, even if their team's not in it. If you're a footy lover, it's where you want to be, so I feel like we need to create that for 'W fans.' The AFL has been criticised in recent years for sticking with Ikon Park despite selling out the ground quickly. Marvel Stadium is owned by the AFL but is used largely for concerts and non-football events after the men's season finishes in September, creating tension between the need to support women's football with the economic appeal of international tours. 'We got kicked off there last year for what? Like BMX and concerts and all this sort of stuff,' Koenen said. This year, the AUSX Open Supercross event is scheduled for the weekend before the AFLW grand final, before Lady Gaga plays two shows the weekend following the decider. Sign up to From the Pocket: AFL Weekly Jonathan Horn brings expert analysis on the week's biggest AFL stories after newsletter promotion Rebecca Beeson, the GWS Giants captain, said she wasn't opposed to the game being held at Marvel Stadium, but wherever it was the game needed to be at a 'showpiece' venue such as the Adelaide Oval. The 2019 grand final was played at the South Australian venue and attracted 53,034 fans, then a record for a standalone women's sporting event. 'In order to generate a bit of hype and crowd, the ground that it's going to be played at has to have the capacity to do so,' Beeson said. 'If it's played at a community oval with no proper grandstand, then you're going to limit the number of people who are going to go.' Cats captain Meghan McDonald said she was in attendance for the 2019 grand final, and described the atmosphere as 'unreal'. The defender agreed that the decider needed to be held in a 'stadium', but she was open to which venue – including even GMHBA Stadium in Geelong if her team earned the right. Western Bulldogs' skipper Deanna Berry said Marvel Stadium made the most sense 'Young girls then get to sit in a venue like this and watch their idols play,' she said. 'Sometimes you can go to the smaller ovals and you're not really seeing the full atmosphere because you might be stuck standing up behind a few people.'
Reuters
7 minutes ago
- Reuters
Affordability the key as 2027 World Cup ticketing plan unveiled
SYDNEY, July 30 (Reuters) - More than 2.5 million tickets, some for pool matches priced as low as A$40 ($26.04), will be available for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, which organisers say is the most for any edition of the global showpiece. World Rugby are determined that the expanded 24-team tournament be accessible to as many people as possible and more than a million tickets for every stage will be priced at under A$100. At the other end of the scale, those who want to guarantee their access to tickets can purchase one of 2,027 "Superfan passes", which for A$750 will entitle them to buy tickets for any of the 52 matches, including the final. Those passes will go on sale next week, while other fans will soon be able to sign up for a closed pre-sale of tickets to take place early next year. "We can proudly say that this 11th edition will be the most accessible ... Rugby World Cup ever with a range of pricing options," Brett Robinson, the chairman of World Rugby, told a news conference. "This special event is for everyone, from families across Australia, families within our seven host cities, for fans travelling from Paris, Buenos Aires and Tokyo, because rugby's biggest stage should be open for all." Fans were required to fork out A$149 to A$649 for tickets to this week's third test between Australia and the British & Irish Lions at Sydney's Stadium Australia. Australia co-hosted the inaugural World Cup with New Zealand in 1987 and the 2003 tournament alone. But rugby has struggled for fans and attention in the country over the last decade or so as the Wallabies have struggled on the pitch. "Our mission is bold," Robinson added. "We want to reignite Australia's love of our game. We want to bring people together from around the world. "We want to shine a light on our sport's enduring values, those of respect, passion, integrity, solidarity, because rugby, at its best, is a powerful force. It changes lives." ($1 = 1.5363 Australian dollars)
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Why this photo signalled the beginning of the end for Simon Goodwin at the Melbourne Demons
When the call finally came for Simon Goodwin, it arrived quietly and without ceremony. On Monday night, interim Melbourne president Brad Green and other senior club officials told the 48‑year‑old coach that his time in charge of the Demons was over. The board decided they could not follow him after years of controversy and poor results that faded the team's 2021 premiership magic. Although Goodwin had another season to run on his contract, the club wanted change for 2026 and paid him around $1million to leave. Many fans trace the downfall back to one photo posted on social media three years ago. In February 2022, amid a wave of damaging headlines about his alleged behaviour, Goodwin's captain and staunch ally Max Gawn uploaded an image to Instagram. The Demons' fairytale flag feels distant as off‑field dramas and bitter divisions overwhelm the premiership‑winning coach It showed the pair seated together at the Hotel Sorrento, beers in hand, joined by wedding groom Myles Pitt. They were relaxed and smiling, the sun glinting off their glasses, the kind of casual shot you might expect to see from any group of friends at a coastal pub. Yet the timing was anything but casual. Just hours earlier, it had been had reported that the Melbourne board had previously investigated Goodwin over allegations of gambling, heavy drinking with players, and workplace bullying. Some directors considered sacking him before 2021, but dropped it and he delivered the club's long‑awaited premiership that year. AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan had publicly described Goodwin's habit of drinking with players at the Sorrento pub as 'crazy,' adding an extra layer of scrutiny to a coach already under fire. Gawn's post was deliberate. Captioned 'Planning 22' at the local', it openly defied criticism and showed his loyalty to Goodwin. When Gawn fronted the media in the days that followed, he doubled down rather than retreating. 'I am going to continue to have a beer with my boss and my coach, and maybe that's when we nutted out 2021 and what we went on to achieve,' he said. Club president Kate Roffey moved swiftly to reinforce the public display of unity, issuing a statement that described Goodwin as 'an exceptional leader' and insisted that the review into his conduct had found he was 'the right man to lead our club'. The hope was that such words, coming from the very top of the organisation, would draw a line under the issue. Instead, that friendly image became, in hindsight, an early flashpoint over the line between leadership, friendship and professionalism. What followed over the next two years was a steady accumulation of off‑field distractions, internal strains, and public controversies that slowly eroded the authority Goodwin had built in the wake of the premiership. By October 2023, Melbourne's off‑season had descended into one of the ugliest in AFL memory. The Clayton Oliver trade saga erupted into chaos, with the star midfielder eventually staying but later being hospitalised after collapsing. Joel Smith tested positive for cocaine on match day and was subsequently banned for four years under the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code. Angus Brayshaw's career ended in heartbreak after a concussion in the finals, an incident that devastated the playing group and sent shockwaves through the club. There were also looming legal battles involving former president Glen Bartlett and long‑time benefactor Peter Lawrence, each dragging Melbourne into protracted disputes in the Federal Court. Then came the bombshell parliamentary speech from Independent MP Andrew Wilkie, who used parliamentary privilege to accuse the club - and more broadly, the AFL - of covering up positive drug tests. In the days that followed, former club doctor Zeeshan Arain claimed he had fabricated excuses to withdraw players from games to avoid potential sanctions under WADA rules. Through it all, Goodwin attempted to steer the team with a mix of defiance and silence. 'I don't want to convince you we have a good culture. I want to show you,' he said last October, sitting alongside CEO Gary Pert. That was before the pair travelled with football boss Alan Richardson to New Zealand to study the famed All Blacks culture. But even the most genuine study tour could not shift the perception that Melbourne's problems ran deeper than any cultural blueprint could fix. On the field, results told their own story. Melbourne lost four consecutive finals matches after their 2021 flag triumph. The 2025 season began with a demoralising five‑game losing streak and another slump of the same length midway through the year that effectively killed their finals chances. Behind closed doors, board confidence in Goodwin's leadership ebbed with each defeat. Questions arose about whether he still had the players' trust or if constant off‑field issues had weakened his authority. By the time the board met in late July this year, the consensus was clear. The man who had brought them their greatest modern triumph was no longer the man to take them forward. And it all began with that defiant photo posted by Gawn. What was intended as a signal of unity ended up becoming the beginning of a slow, public unraveling that ended with a phone call no coach wants to take.
