England overcame their toughest test of the Women’s Rugby League World Cup so far as they secured top spot in Group A with a scintillating 42-4 victory over Papua New Guinea at Headingley on Friday.
Leah Burke crossed for a hat-trick of tries – all from Courtney Winfield-Hill kicks – as England came back from an early deficit to see off a very tough PNG side in a bruising contest.
Craig Richards’ side will now face the losers of Thursday’s Group B decider between Australia and New Zealand in the semi-finals in York on Monday, but in all likelihood they will avoid the all-conquering world-champion Jillaroos.
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PNG struck when Shona Hoyle’s lost ball in the first tackle of the game led to a period of pressure on the home goal-line. As England became stretched, the Orchids shipped the ball left and Martha Molowia was on hand to crash over in the left corner.
England then began to dominate the territory but were foiled on three separate occasions as Caitlin Beevers was denied by last-ditch tackles on a trio of trips over the try line. They eventually broke through when the ball was sent left and Courtney Winfield-Hill’s lofted kick fell perfectly into Leah Burke’s arms and the St Helens winger dropped gleefully over the line.
They were over again soon after as Amy Hardcastle took Fran Goldthorp’s pass after more great work from Winfield-Hill, and the St Helens centre strolled through a gap for her 22nd England try in as many appearances.
Tara Stanley added a third when she escaped a desperate tackle to edge over the line, and shortly after half-time Burke had another when grounding after a brilliant diving catch from another Winfield-Hill kick.
Vicky Whitfield then went over for her first ever England try after taking a short pass from Winfield-Hill and bursting beyond the cover defence. And that Orchids line was further weakened with 18 minutes to play when Carol Humeu was sin-binned after becoming the latest player to attempt to slow the play-the-ball.
Burke completed her hat-trick soon after, again collecting a Winfield-Hill kick on the dive and grounding in the same movement, to the delight of the Headingley crowd. Caitlin Beevers got a very popular try shortly before full-time, taking Georgia Roche’s cut-out pass to go over at the fourth time of asking, and there was still time for Hardcastle to add a second as England threw the ball left to catch the PNG defence short-handed.
With a third straight win, England go into their semi-final well prepared but also knowing that they will likely face a wonderful New Zealand side who have made it to all five previous Women’s World Cup finals, winning the first three of them.
But Richards and his squad are arguably in the best shape they’ve ever been for such a contest, with the increased exposure of the Betfred Women’s Super League helping to up the standard of the game in England and now with three very impressive results under their belt heading for Monday’s crunch semi-final fixture.
*18+ | BeGambleAware
