- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The Black Ferns’ stranglehold over the Wallaroos has continued in Newcastle on Saturday afternoon.
By winning 38-12, the Black Ferns extended their unbeaten run to 28 matches.
The Wallaroos were hardly disgraced. Indeed, two late tries saw the Black Ferns extend their 26-12 lead to an emphatic 26-point win after fullback Braxton Sorenson-McGee sliced through to score under the posts in the 79th minute.
But Jo Yapp’s Wallaroos were helped by a Black Ferns side who were playing their first Test of the year and played like it.
The visitors dominated territory and had the lion’s share of possession, but 14 turnovers and 15 penalties ensured the Wallaroos stayed in the hunt.
Nonetheless, the Black Ferns were still way too good for the Wallaroos, with winger Ayesha Leti-l’iga scoring the opening two tries of the afternoon after finding the home side asleep at the ruck.
Amy Du Plessis makes a break against the Wallaroos during the Black Ferns’ big win at McDonald Jones Stadium on May 10, 2025 in Newcastle. (Photo by Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)
Sorenson-McGee’s try on the stroke of half-time gave the visitors a 19-0 lead at half-time.
It looked like the Black Ferns would post a cricket score in the second half after Chryss Viliko scored straight after half time.
But the home side rallied well with Eva Karpani finding a mismatch out wide after a clever lineout play to score the Wallaroos’ first points after 45 minutes.
The Wallaroos should have had a second when Georgina Friedrichs dived and managed to get a hand on a clever kick, but the outside centre didn’t celebrate and none of the officials picked up that the outside centre grounded the ball.
The Wallaroos score their second try through veteran forward Ashley Marsters. (Photo by Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)
The home side didn’t have to wait much longer for their second though as Ash Marsters came off the bench to cross over in tight. Faitala Moleka’s conversion cut the score to 14 points.
But the Wallaroos’ comeback was stopped in the 66th minute when Sylvia Brunt scored. Sorenson-McGee’s classy second try in the dying stages made the win all the more convincing.
Wallaroos captain Siokapesi Palu lamented her side’s slow start to the match.
“We just had to come out with more urgency and intensity and you saw that with the reflection of the second half. If we had of started the first half with the same intent, it probably would have been a different result,” she said.
Jo Yapp would have been able to take a couple of positives out of the Wallaroos’ performance despite their loss to the Black Ferns. (Photo by Robbie Stephenson/Getty Images)
While the Wallaroos never looked like winning, there were some positives out of the defeat against the reigning world champions.
The Wallaroos’ lineout was superb, with Kaitlan Leaney making a brilliant return. The lock bossed the lineout and was busy across the park alongside her second-row partner Michaela Leonard.
Karpani was also solid in a huge hit out against Black Ferns tight-head prop Tanya Kalounivale, who was destructive across the park.
Sevens star Tia Hinds looked competent at fly-half in her starting debut and gave Yapp more than enough reason to hand her another start in the role, while Charlotte Caslick looked sharp but simply couldn’t get her hands on the ball enough.
But despite Hinds’ promise, the clock is ticking and Yapp is quickly running out of time to establish who she wants to run the team.
The Wallaroos will host the USA in Canberra next Saturday, before finishing their Pacific Four series against Canada in Brisbane.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.