Australia are through to a fifth successive Women’s Rugby League World Cup final after surviving a scare to beat Fiji 30–14 in the semi-final at Allianz Stadium, Sydney, on Sunday, 8 November 2026.
World Cup debutants Fiji stunned the defending champions, leading 8–0 after 16 minutes — a Luisa Yaranamua penalty, then a try she converted after captain Sereana Naitokatoka stole the ball from Jaime Chapman. It was the first time since the 2013 World Cup final that the Jillaroos had not scored first in a Test match. Australia levelled it 8–8 by half-time and dominated the second half.
Winger Abbi Church scored four tries, in the 25th, 40th, 51st and 67th minutes, and ran 205 metres. Her fourth came from a weaving long-distance run after collecting a Losana Lutu kick around 30 metres from her own line. She now has seven tries in four matches at this World Cup. Tamika Upton and Jaime Chapman also scored. Skipper Isabelle Kelly ran 165 metres, and Olivia Kernick had 19 runs for 156 metres.
Australia reach their fifth successive Women’s Rugby League World Cup final and are chasing a fourth straight title — they have won the last three, while New Zealand won the first three from 2000 to 2008. The final is on Sunday, 15 November, at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, against New Zealand, who beat Samoa 32–0 on Saturday. Kick-off is at 3:10 p.m. local time.
Fiji had reached their first semi-final after wins over Papua New Guinea and France and only a close loss to New Zealand in the group stage. Australia had swept the group stage scoring 242 points and conceding just six; this was the first time they had conceded twice in a match since 2018.
It caps a huge week for Australian sport, from Champions Stakes Day at Flemington to Usman Khawaja’s Sandpapergate revelations. The Women’s World Cup final is on 15 November in Brisbane.
Bhudev Bhagaliya is an experienced and senior journalist who has carved a distinct niche for himself in the world of Hindi journalism through his profound understanding and precise writing style. With over two decades of experience in the field of journalism, he has held key responsibilities at Dainik Hindustan for 12 years and at Amar Ujala for one year. Currently, he serves as the Content Editor for the Jagrook Youth News newspaper and portal, where he plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and credibility of the news content. Bhudev Bhagaliya consistently writes about issues that help raise awareness within society and among the younger generation.