1st minute (Australia 0-0 Fiji): Fiji kick off and Australia run it into the teeth of the Bulikula. Olivia Higgins gets a short ball through and the pace is frantic and Shaylee Bent looks to have lost it in the tackle. But no, it’s adjudged a rake and Australia win the penalty.
Anthems are done and I can confirm the Jillaroos were in full voice. The Bulikula are now forming a circle to sing the Christian hymn called “Oqo na Noqu Masu” (This is My Prayer). This is a team “built on faith, carried by sweat”. Voices soaring through the stadium, it’s a beautiful spine-tingling moment and a nice dose of gravity before the teams throw themselves into combat.
It’s been a strange day in Sydney: baking sun, belting rain, swirling winds, strange chills. Right now there’s blue skies and thick banks of cloud overhead but the field – a notoriously slow drainer - looks shipshape as the players prepare to take the field. Only a few thousand spectators in their seats so far but a steady stream coming in for this double-header.
Here come the players, Australia in their sunshine gold jerseys with green stripes, Fiji rocking light blue and navy. Now for the anthems.
Cross-code superstar Stacey Waaka, already a winner of a Rugby Union World Cup, is now chasing another in Rugby League. Her three tries last night moved the Kiwis speedster one step closer to the tantalising double.
For those who missed last night’s semi-final between New Zealand and Samoa here’s our match report.
Team news
The Bulikula are building beautifully for their first World Cup finals campaign and have gone with the same 17 who demolished France and PNG. Maria Paseka returns on the wing after missing two games with a leg injury meaning Tahlia Marshall moves to the bench. Lorren Ieli gets a start at prop, Leilani Ahsam shifts to lock and Talei Holmes joins the back row. The dangerous Teaghan Hartigan returns on the bench.
Team news
Jillaroos coach Jess Skinner is unleashing some serious firepower on the Bulikula. Powerful props Simaima Taufa and Millie Elliott return to the side after earning a rest in last week’s record win over Wales, while Tiana Penitani Gray is back in the second row after recovering from a foot niggle. In the halves, Jocelyn Kelleher and Tarryn Aiken will recombine as Australia’s attacking axis.
Here’s how the green-and-gold line-up today…
1. Tamika Upton. 2. Jaime Chapman. 3. Jessica Sergis. 4. Isabelle Kelly (c). 5. Abbi Church. 6. Jocelyn Kelleher. 7. Tarryn Aiken8. Millie Elliott. 9. Olivia Higgins. 10. Simaima Taufa. 11. Tiana Penitani Gray. 12. Shaylee Bent. 13. Olivia Kernick. Interchange: 14. Keeley Nizza. 15. Keilee Joseph. 16. Kezie Apps. 17. Sariah Paki. 18. Sheridan Gallagher. 19. Ellie Johnston. 20. Jesse Southwell. 21. Quincy Dodd. 22. Makenzie Weale
Preamble
Greetings sports fans! Welcome to Sydney’s Allianz Stadium for live coverage of the Women’s Rugby League World Cup semi-final between Australia and Fiji.
The winner today will advance to the Big Dance next week against New Zealand who disposed of Samoa by 32-10 in Newcastle last night. Will Australia continue on their merry way through this tournament to set up a trans-Tasman blockbuster? Or will Fiji spring the mother of all ambushes today and crack the final in their first ever World Cup?
The Fiji Bulikula have had a wonderful tournament so far. They almost pulled a major upset against New Zealand in round one, going down 18-12 after leading at half-time. They went one better in round two, pummelling Papua New Guinea by 40-4 in Port Moresby. Last week, they flayed the French 54-6 on the Gold Coast, a 10-try romp that put the World Cup frontrunners on notice.
Australia’s Jillaroos have been awesome in every game, scoring 242 points and only conceding six. They started their World Cup campaign with a 40-0 demolition of Samoa in Sydney then put 78-points on England without conceding one in Perth. Last week they had Wales on the rack to the tune of 100-0 before they finally leaked a try. They ran out 124-6 winners as winger Jamie Chapman bagged six tries.
That forms spells trouble for Fiji but the Bulikula are fast starters and will throw everything they have at the home side. Either way, an exciting afternoon awaits. I’ll be back with team sheets shortly. But feel free to drop me a line at angus.fontaine.freelance@theguardian.com if you’ve got thoughts, theories or throwaways throughout the day.
Kick-off today is 5:45pm AEDT. Batten ‘em down and buckle ‘em up. It’s semi-finals time!
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