Australia Take World Title from Kiwi Ferns

PRESS RELEASE - ON BEHALF OF THE KIWI FERNS

Australia Take World Title from Kiwi Ferns

Leeds, UK, July 14, 2013 – Australia are the new world champions of women’s rugby league, having beaten the Kiwi Ferns 22-12 this morning (July 15, NZ-time) at Headingley, Leeds.

Going into today’s World Cup final it was obvious that Australia, who lost to the Kiwi Ferns 14-6 in pool play, had closed the gap on New Zealand’s three-times reigning champion team. But it remained to be seen what would happen in the heat – and there was plenty of that in sunny Leeds today – of the final. The answer was a polished four tries to three victory to our nearest neighbours.

“The Australians played better as a team,” said the Kiwi Ferns coach Lynley Tierney-Mani. “They had patience and composure and they deserved the win. Our set completion wasn’t great and they kept wearing us down. They chased us and they caught us.

“Our heads are held high though. Everyone gave everything – both the players, including those that didn’t play today, and the staff. It was a real gutsy effort and I’m very proud of them all.”

The match concluded a big last few weeks for the New Zealand captain Honey Hireme. She scored seven tries in the tournament, after flying straight to the UK from Moscow, where she’d won a rugby 7s world title for New Zealand.

“We were in it until late in the match,” said Hireme. “But we made more mistakes than we could afford and they played 80 minutes. We're absolutely gutted, but the girls are aware they’ve done their families proud – and so have the Australians. The Aussies are ecstatic right now and good on them. They have had some tough losses before and now is their moment.”

The Kiwi Ferns did plenty to give their vocal supporters at Headingley hope for a fourth World Cup win and they led at three different stages of the game. Their hooker Sharnita Woodman got things started with a try from dummy-half not long after kick-off. The Australians hit back quickly though to level the scores at 4-4.

The Kiwi girls pulled away when Charlotte Scanlan scored midway through the first half. But, as they can be inclined to do, Australia scored again to make it 8-8 just before the break.

In the second half, the Kiwis took the lead for a third time when Aimee Gilbert crossed after a sustained period of attack. With the conversion again missed, the Kiwi Ferns were up 12-8. But two further Australian tries, along with a penalty, secured Australia a first ever women’s World Cup title. 

Kiwi Ferns v Australia
1.45pm, July 14 (UK time)
Headingley Carnegie Stadium, Leeds
Australia Jillaroos 22 – Kiwi Ferns 12

Kiwi Ferns tries: Sharnita Woodman, Charlotte Scanlan, Aimee Gilbert.
Australia Jillaroos tries: Jenni Sue Hoepper, Tarah Westera, Samantha Hammond, Heather Ballinger. Goals: Ali Briggenshaw (3). 

The Kiwi Ferns v Australia were:

1. Sarina Fiso, 2. Geneva Webber, 3. Honey Hireme (Captain), 4. Lisa Campbell, 5. Karley Te Kawa, 6. Nora Maaka, 7. Rona Peters, 8. Charlotte Scanlan, 9. Sharnita Woodman, 10. Ana Tuia Pereira, 11. Kathleen Keremete, 12. Akenese Pereira, 13. Kahurangi Peters, 14. Kelly Maipi, 15. Simone Panapa, 16. Aimee Gilbert, 17. Amber Paris Hall, 18. Brenda Collins

WOMEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP FINALS:

2000 Kiwi Ferns 26, Great Britain 4
2003 Kiwi Ferns 58, New Zealand Maori 0
2008 Kiwi Ferns 34, Australia 0
2013 Australia 22 – Kiwi Ferns 12 
Note: New Zealand's Armed Forces team went down 32-22 to Australia in their Festival of World Cups final over the weekend, while the New Zealand Students lost 18-17 to England in an extra time thriller in their semi-final. 

ENDS

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