New Zealand survive Fiji scare to win World Cup opener — SkimNews
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- New Zealand came from 12-4 down to beat debutants Fiji 18-12 in their Women's Rugby League World Cup opener on Sunday in Newcastle, clinching the win only in the final minutes.
- Fiji led 12-10 at the break — the first time New Zealand has ever trailed at halftime in a World Cup match — after tries from Losana Lutu and Sienna Laing.
- Stacey Waaka scored twice for New Zealand (after two minutes and just before halftime), while Zehara Temara's penalty kicks leveled the scores and nudged them ahead.
- Raecene McGregor's cross-field kick found Leianne Tufuga for the decisive try late on, with player Georgia Hale conceding the result was "luck in the end."
- Coach Ricky Henry called it a "wake-up call," saying his side was "uncharacteristically ill-disciplined" and "went away from what we were meant to do."
- In the men's World Cup later in Newcastle, Fiji ran in seven tries to beat Cook Islands 40-12, with Mick Potter calling the tournament a "two-horse race" ahead of facing Australia next.
Why it matters: Three-time defending runners-up New Zealand, tipped to win easily, found themselves 12-4 adrift of tournament debutants Fiji before needing a last-minute try to escape. With Fiji's men simultaneously thrashing Cook Islands 40-12 and headed into matches against Australia (men) and Papua New Guinea (women), the Pacific nation has momentum on both sides of the draw heading into the pool stage.
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