Australia have booked their spot in the Pacific Championship women's final, exacting some revenge over the Kiwis Ferns with a 14-0 whitewash at Christchurch.
The NZ women inflicted the reigning world champions with their first defeat in seven years, when they toppled the Aussies in last year's tournament final, but the Jillaroos have come charging back, keeping their archrivals scoreless, after walloping Papua New Guinea Orchids 84-0 last week.
Both teams had early half chances. Ferns half Tyla King found the uprights with a kick on the last tackle, but the loose ball was controlled by Australia.
Australia forced a spilt pass in their own half and kicked towards the corner at the end of their set, bouncing awkwardly for the Ferns defence, but the pursuers knocked on trying to regather.
The Jillaroos twice crossed the tryline off the back of a repeat set and penalty, but centre Tiana Penitani eventually lost the ball in a tackle.
Second-rower Kezzie Apps broke across halfway to spark another Australian attack and winger Jakiya Whitfield was barely ankle-tapped with the line open ahead of her.
The Aussies began to dominate field position, as the Ferns began to fall off tackles.
Winger Julia Robinson won the contest for a high kick near the NZ line, but could not offload to her open teammates outside her. Hooker Olivia Higgins was monstered in a tackle metres out, but knocked on as she played the ball.
Five-eighth Ali Brigginshaw tried a sneaky grubber kick for fullback Tamika Upton, but she was smothered by three defenders on the last tackle. Ferns fullback Api Nicholls was forced to knock a bouncing ball dead and was trapped behind her goal-line off the next set.
From the subsequent dropout, the plucky NZ defence finally faltered, allowing Penitani to slip a tackle to score within sight of halftime.
The break arrived with Ferns hooker Ash Quinlan stopped only centimetres short of the tryline, unable to break the Australian stranglehold.
Immediately from the restart, Australia continued their assault. Upton has hauled down short of the tryline on the last tackle, while lock Simaima Taufa appeared to have scored, but replays showed her losing the ball short of the line.
New Zealand had a chance for points on the board, when five-eighth Gayle Broughton was taken out late in her kicking action, but instead of shooting for goal, they elected to tap and knocked on immediately.
Australia made easy metres up the field and forced another goal-line dropout, before Upton stretched out to score their second try by the posts.
The Ferns roared onto attack, when winger Julia Robinson could not secure the kickoff, but Quinlan’s kick on the last tackle was smothered and the threat nullified.
Aussie prop Millie Elliott made big metres up the centre of the park, before Upton carried the movement on and Jessica Sergis finished it.
Down 14-0 with 10 minutes remaining, the NZ women continued to search for their first points, but squandered another royal chance, when Nicholls lobbed a long pass over her winger and into touch with an overlap beckoning. Next time down the field, Nicholls left a pass behind her, ruled a knockon, and that was the last time they had the ball in scoring position.
"They kept coming at us," reflected Ferns captain Georgia Hale. "A couple of us having had a game in a few weeks, so we're just finding momentum, trying to be as fluid as we could.
"It was tit for tat, but they beat us a bit in completion and possession.
"We just need to tidy up what we're doing, execution is a big part of it and attention to detail in what we do."
The result doesn't end New Zealand's campaign — they lost to Australia at the same stage last year, before toppling them in the final. They now face PNG at Port Moresby next weekend to secure passage into the title game at Sydney in two weeks.
Australia 14 (Penitani, Upton & Surgis tries; Aiken conversion) New Zealand 0
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