New Zealand survive early scare to beat Fiji in World Cup opener
New Zealand’s women’s team received a stark reminder of the tournament’s intensity after they had to rally from a deficit to defeat debutants Fiji 18‑12 in their opening match. The Ferns, who have appeared in the final of every Women’s Rugby League World Cup, claimed three early titles before finishing as runners‑up to Australia in the last three editions. Entering the game as second favourites, they were expected to cruise to victory in Newcastle on Sunday, yet they found themselves trailing 12‑4 at halftime.
Coach Ricky Henry summed up the feeling in the post‑match press conference: “I’ve not really got any nails left. Or teeth.” He added that the team’s performance was below the standard they set for themselves and called the result a “wake‑up call” that would give the players plenty to work on. “The good thing is we found a way, but the way we played is not what we should. We went away from what we were meant to do, so we are a little disappointed there. Rustiness is not an excuse. I reckon it’s a wake‑up call, and the girls will think so too. We fought our way back, so we will take that away with things to work on,” Henry said.
The match began with New Zealand looking in control when Stacey Waaka crossed for a try after two minutes. Fiji, however, grew into the game and struck first at the 21‑minute mark when skipper Sereana Naitokatoka made a clever dummy‑half run that set up Losana Lutu for the tournament’s first try. Five minutes later Sienna Laing added another for the Ferns, extending the lead and making an upset seem possible. Waaka scored a second try before the break, but Fiji’s disciplined defence held firm after the interval.
New Zealand eventually levelled and then took the lead through penalty kicks by Zehara Temara. The winning moment arrived in the closing minutes when Raecene McGregor’s cross‑field kick found Leianne Tufuga, who dived over for the decisive try.
Midfielder Georgia Hale reflected on the performance: “We didn’t put any expectations on ourselves, but they played like they had nothing to lose. They tested our waters for sure. Everything was in our control, then we lost it. It was uncharacteristically ill‑disciplined, untidy play. What we wanted to do today was basic. We wanted to set the tone for the tournament by being physical and by going forwards, but we went far away from that which is not us. We then had to work extremely hard to make up for it. It was definitely luck in the end.”
New Zealand’s next Group B fixture is against France in Christchurch, while Fiji will meet Papua New Guinea.
In the men’s competition, Fiji opened with a convincing 40‑12 victory over the Cook Islands in Newcastle. Both teams share Group A with co‑hosts Australia and New Zealand, meaning a top‑two finish will be a tough challenge. Fiji’s campaign has been marked by upheaval, with Mick Potter replacing Wise Kativerata as head coach, internal disputes within the governing body, and captain Tui Kamikamica’s retirement after a stroke in March. Nevertheless, the side displayed power, scoring seven tries and racking up 34 unanswered points before the Cook Islands added two late consolation scores.
Potter said the team will now turn its focus to the upcoming clash with reigning champions Australia, hoping to improve on the women’s side’s performance. “Preparation will be standard. It is a two‑horse race for the championships as far as I am concerned, so it is a chance to upset them,” he remarked.