Black Ferns complete Pacific Four clean sweep with runaway victory over Wallaroos

Saturday, 25 April 2026

At Sunshine Coast Stadium: Black Ferns 40 (Amy Du’Plessis try 4min, Ayesha Leti-I’iga 2 tries 26min, 36min, Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu try 42min, Justine McGregor try 55min, Laura Bayfield try 62min; Renee Holmes 5 cons), Wallaroos 5 (Siokapesi Sekona try 23min). HT: 21-5.

The Black Ferns remain well and truly the bosses of trans-Tasman women’s rugby.

Whitney Hansen’s New Zealand women’s rugby team made it 30 victories without defeat over a 32-year history with a runaway 40-5 success over Australia’s Wallaroos in the teams’ first ever Anzac Day clash on the Sunshine Coast on Saturday night.

With the all-too-predictable result, continuing a one-sided domination of this trans-Tasman rivalry, the New Zealanders completed a three-game sweep of the Pacific Four series after earlier wins over the US and Canada, and also retain the Laurie O’Reilly Trophy for another year, with still one more matchup to come.

The result was never really in doubt as the Ferns ran in three first-half tries to lead 21-5 at the break, and added a trio more unanswered in the rain over the run home to complete yet another emphatic victory.

The Ferns had any number of standout contributors, but none shone more than two-try wing Ayesha Leti-I’iga who tormented the Australians throughout a powerhouse evening with the ball in hand. Centre Amy Du’Plessis was another prolific contributor to a dominant attack, fullback Renee Holmes was excellent, with the boot and on the run, and Justine McGregor, in her first start on the wing, capped a handy evening with a second-half try. Maia Joseph’s tactical play from halfback was on point too.

Up front the Kiwi pack was all over the Wallaroos at set-piece time, and showcased standout individual efforts from No 8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker, fellow loosie Liana Mikaele-Tu’u and workhorse prop Chryss Viliko. Powerhouse tighthead Mo’omo’oga Palu also got through a promising 40 minutes on debut and the bench contributed mightily to a styroing second half, with front-rower Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu the best of them.

The Wallaroos remain a long way off the Ferns’ standard, though had their bright moments. Desiree MIller’s pace shone through intermittently and young fullback Waiaria Ellis looks a promising sort.

The Ferns ran in three tries to one over an at-times error-strewn first half to ease out to a 21-5 halftime advantage, with two of the finishes going to wing Leti-I’iga.

Centre Du’Plessis had the opener via a big rolling maul off the lineout and Leti-I’iga touched down for a brace, in the 26th and 36th minutes, to show her class out wide. Her first came off a pinpoint kick-through from Ruahei Demant and the second when she combined brilliantly with Du’Plessis on a nice run down the left touchline.

The Ferns looked to have another score, only for No 8 Kaipo Olsen-Baker to have her charge over the line in the 15th minute rubbed out by a forward pass from Demant to Du’Plessis in the leadup.

The Wallaroos had their moments in the opening half, the best of them when skipper and No 8 Siokapesi Sekona detached from a lineout-drive just past the first-quarter mark to cross for their only try of the spell. Miller also unlocked the Ferns with a withering run off a Faitala Moleka grubber in the 10th minute, only for the Australians to grass ball with the line at their mercy.

The New Zealanders continued their dominance over the second spell, with Mahutariki-Fakalelu, McGregor and big lock Laura Bayfield completing the try account against the outmatched Aussies. It was appropriate, too, for Bayfield to wrap up the scoring as a serving captain in the New Zealand army.