Kiwi Ferns hold off Fiji World Cup upset
Sevens star Stacey Waaka scored a try double on Kiwi Ferns debut, but her team barely survived a thorough examination from newcomers Fiji in their Rugby League World Cup opener 18-12 at Newcastle.
The NZ women found themselves behind 12-10 at halftime, but staved off wave after wave of Fijian attack in the second half, while they clawed for their winning points in the dying moments.
Wing Leiana Tufuga gathered a pinpoint kick from halfback Raecene McGregor to grab the crucial try with second remaining.
Charged with leading the pre-game haka, Waaka wasted little time stamping her class on the contest, after Fiji coughed up the ball on their first possession inside their own half.
The Kiwi Ferns went right initially and the found plenty of room down the left for Waaka to score in the third minute.
From the restart, New Zealand committed a series of handling errors that allowed their rivals a period inside the redzone and Fiji applied the blowtorch over the next 20 minutes, capped by a try to halfback Losana Lutu.
Hooker Serena Naitokatoka converted from in front to give the Fijians an unexpected lead.
As the first half wore on, they looked the better side and picked up another try, when Lutu kicked ahead and wing Sienna Laing stuck out a foot and deflected the ball past the last defender to score.
Waaka struck again, after the NZ forwards set a strong foundation in their own half and centre Mele Hufunga found space to roam, putting her NZ Warriors clubmate clear for a second try.
The Kiwi Ferns made a mess of the kickoff, allowing the ball to bounce into touch and presenting Fiji with another chance before halftime, but withstood that assault to limit the damage at the break.
From the restart, New Zealand went onto the attack, when their kickoff also bounced over the sideline, but wayward handling continued to plague them.
They had chance to draw level, winning a penalty beside the posts, and five-eighth Zhara Temara duly slotted the kick for 12-12.
Fiji suffered a crippling injury toll and were down to one interchange player, when Laing went off for a concussion check. Their predicament became even more acute, when Naitokatoka hooked a regulation penalty from just left of the posts.
They continued to pile on pressure and the Ferns somehow survived, seeking the go-ahead score.
With fulltime looming, Fiji were penalised for stripping in a tackle and Temara was on target from 29 metres out.
Five minutes remained, but the Fijian kickoff did not reach 10 metres, so New Zealand went back on attack and forced a line dropout.
Hufunga threatened to bulldoze her way over, but with the next play, McGregor placed a delicate chip towards Tufuga, who plucked it from the air to score in the corner.
Temara couldn’t convert and, with seconds remaining, Fiji kicked short and regained possession, needing a converted try to force overtime.
They entered the redzone, but five-eighth Luisa Yaranamua couldn’t handle Lutu’s looping pass and New Zealand celebrated their hard-fought win.
The result puts the Kiwi Ferns in pole position in a group that also includes France and Papua New Guinea.
With plenty to fix in their game, New Zealand face the French next Sunday at Christchurch’s Te Kaha Stadium.
New Zealand 18 (Waaka 2 & Tufuga tries; Temara conversion & 2 penalties) Fiji 12 (Lutu & Laing tries; Natokatoka & Yaranamua conversions)
