Kangaroos Through Undefeated, Face Samoa in World Cup Semi-Final
Australia have won all three of their pool matches at the Rugby League World Cup, and on Sunday 8 November they play Samoa in a semi-final at Allianz Stadium in Sydney. The match starts at 8.05pm AEDT.
The route there has not always been comfortable. The Guardian reports that the Kangaroos trailed in both their pool games against Fiji and the Cook Islands before winning each one. The Cook Islands match was the most one-sided of the pool. Australia won 66-6 in Townsville, which put them top of Pool A.
The tournament opened on 15 October with a 24-22 win over New Zealand at Allianz Stadium. Jack Bostock scored a hat-trick of tries, meaning three touchdowns in one match, in that game. Australia arrived as favourites to win a 13th World Cup title, according to Reuters. They are now chasing the trophy for a fourth consecutive tournament. Kevin Walters is the coach.
New Zealand have also been among the most prolific sides in the group stage. They scored 160 points across their wins over the Cook Islands and Fiji. Casey McLean scored four tries against Fiji. The Kiwis will be without Kalyn Ponga, who is injured and missing from the tournament.
The women's side has produced its own headlines. Australia's Jillaroos beat Wales 124-6, a new record score and winning margin for the women's World Cup, according to The Guardian. The old mark was Australia's 92-0 win over France in 2022.
Samoa reach the semi-final after a tight contest with Tonga. They lost 20-18 in Parramatta, and a Samoan try was ruled out in the dying minutes. A try is worth four points in league, and a successful conversion kick adds two more. Samoa now have to get past the defending champions' rivals in Sydney, and the Kangaroos will be the favourites.
For neutrals, the semi-final is a chance to see how the Kangaroos cope with a physical Samoa side in a knockout match, where one mistake can end a run. Sunday's result will decide which two teams contest the final.
