Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Wallaroos' WXV1 hopes in tatters as USA fight back to win in Melbourne

Hope Rogers of USA celebrates after scoring a try during the 2024 Pacific Four Series match between Australia Wallaroos and USA at AAMI Park on May 17, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

The Wallaroos have suffered a disastrous 32-25 loss to the United States in their Pacific Four clash, which will likely see them miss qualification for the elite WXV 1 rugby competition.

ADVERTISEMENT

Playing their second Test under new coach Jo Yapp, the Australians looked in control at Melbourne’s AAMI Park on Friday night, leading 20-8 at halftime.

But the Americans ran in four second-half tries to secure their first win of the four-team competition.

Video Spacer
Video Spacer

Layne Morgan was held up over the line in the 76th minute as the Wallaroos desperately hunted a try to level the score.

The Wallaroos now need a win in their final-round match in Auckland over New Zealand, who they have never beaten, and to also collect a bonus point to avoid finishing last in the Pacific Four.

Match Summary

1
Penalty Goals
1
4
Tries
5
1
Conversions
2
0
Drop Goals
0
131
Carries
148
5
Line Breaks
5
11
Turnovers Lost
8
2
Turnovers Won
4

If they don’t the Australians will be relegated to the WXV 2 league in South Africa in September-October, while the USA, Canada and New Zealand will join the top three teams from the women’s Six Nations in WXV 1 in Ottawa, Canada.

Yapp was delighted with her team’s first-half showing, but said the USA were allowed to control the second stanza.

ADVERTISEMENT

“It was a game of two halves – in the first half we showed a big improvement from last week and we were playing the way we wanted to play,” the former England halfback said.

“Second half we just didn’t get a good foot-hold early on and we didn’t exit cleanly, and unfortunately we ended up chasing the game.

“It was a game we wanted to win, but we now look at WXV 2 and that’s a different challenge for us and one we will step up to.

“These are tough lessons to learn.”

The Wallaroos fell to Canada in their opening match in Sydney last round, but fancied their chances against the USA, who at world No.10 were ranked five places lower.

ADVERTISEMENT

They got off to a flying start with winger Desiree Miller crossing in the fourth minute, before flanker Ash Marsters pushed the lead out to 12-3 with a surging run to the line.

After her first try attempt was denied, there was no stopping Maya Stewart a few minutes later for the home side to take a 14-point lead.

The United States, coached by former Wallaroos assistant Sione Fukofuka, scored their first try through hooker Kathryn Treder, but the Wallaroos looked comfortable at the break.

American prop Hope Rogers crashed over for two tries within the opening eight minutes of the second half for her team to level.

The Wallaroos edged ahead with Georgina Friedrichs crossing after a strong carry by Piper Duck, but the visitors kept coming.

A converted try in the 62nd minute by winger Lotte Clapp gave them a 27-25 lead, which they extended seven minutes later through centre Mata Hingano.

Despite plenty of time left on the clock, the Wallaroos weren’t able to add to their tally.

Related

New tickets for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 are now available, with prices starting at £10 for adults and £5 for children. Buy now!

ADVERTISEMENT

South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Argentina vs Australia | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

Saitama Wildknights vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

Boks Office | Episode 40 | The Steven Kitshoff Special

Perry Baker in the house | HSBC Life on Tour | Los Angeles

Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

S
Solenn Bonnet 4 days ago
Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

WhatsApp.. +15617263697

website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

Telegram.. +15617263697

0 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ 'If any Welsh side makes the URC knockout games, it will be worth applauding’ 'If any Welsh side makes the URC knockout games, it will be worth applauding’
Search