IRL Women's Rugby League World Cup : Semi Final

Sat 7th November 2026   - KO  18:00 - McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle , Australia

New Zealand

32

FT

0

Half Time
8 - 0

Samoa

Tries

Mackenzie WIKI (1)
Stacey WAAKA (24,43,63)
Mele Hufanga (57)
Kaiyah ATAI (59)
Raecene McGregor (66)

Goals

Chanty KIRIA-RATU (2/7)

Match Preview | New Zealand and Samoa face off in Women's World Cup Semi Final

New Zealand and Samoa go head-to-head this Saturday at McDonald Jones Stadium, with a place in the 2026 IRL Women’s Rugby League World Cup Final up for grabs.

New Zealand topped Group B after an impressive group-stage campaign, securing three consecutive victories to enter the semi-final full of confidence.

Samoa, meanwhile, will be looking to carry their momentum into the last four following an impressive 24-6 victory over England in their previous outing. Having finished second in Group A, they now face a tough test against an unbeaten New Zealand side as they bid to reach the World Cup final.

The Kiwis make two changes to their starting line-up, with Mele Hufanga coming in at centre in place of Abigail Roache, while Otesa Pule earns a starting spot in the forwards, replacing Shannon Mato.

Samoa make just one change to the side that defeated England, with Fanua Rimoni replacing Tavarna Papalii at loose forward.

New Zealand (squad): Apii Nicholls, Leianne TUFUGA, Mele Hufanga, Stacey WAAKA, Mackenzie WIKI, Chanty KIRIA-RATU, Raecene McGregor, Alexis TAUANEAI, Georgia Hale, Otesa PULE, Shaniece MONSCHAU, Kaiyah ATAI, Angelina TEAKARAANGA KATOA, Ashleigh Quinlan, Nessa BIDDLE, Shannon Lorraine MATO, Ivana LAUITITI, Brooke ANDERSON, Brianna Clark, Zahara TEMARA, Abigail Roache, Tenika WILLISON

Samoa (squad): Destiny SINAPATI, Mercedez TAULELEI-SAILA, Monica TAGOAI, Tyra Le EKEPATI, Freedom ROPATI, Evania ISA'AKO , Pauline PILIAE, Annetta NUUAUSALA, Mary Jane TAITO, Laikha (Belinda-Jane) CLARKE, Leilani WILSON, Ivana LOLESIO, Fanua RIMONI, Tavarna PAPALII, Christabelle ONESOME-TUILAEPA, Jasmine FOGAVINI, Christian PIO, Jaydika TAFUA, Ana Leatupue, Evelyn ROBERTS, Jetaya FAIFUA, Amanii Misa

4 November 2026
1 Apii Nicholls
Full Back
Destiny SINAPATI 1
2 Leianne TUFUGA
Right Wing
Mercedez TAULELEI-SAILA 2
3 Mele Hufanga
Right Centre
Monica TAGOAI 3
4 Stacey WAAKA
Left Centre
Tyra Le EKEPATI 4
5 Mackenzie WIKI
Left Wing
Ana LEATUPUE 5
6 Chanty KIRIA-RATU
Stand Off
Evania ISA'AKO 6
7 Raecene McGregor
Scrum Half
Pauline PILIAE 7
8 Alexis TAUANEAI
Prop
Annetta NUUAUSALA 8
9 Georgia Hale
Hooker
Mary Jane TAITO 9
10 Otesa PULE
Prop
Laikha (Belinda-Jane) CLARKE 10
11 Shaniece MONSCHAU
Second Row
Leilani WILSON 11
12 Kaiyah ATAI
Second Row
Ivana LOLESIO 12
13 Angelina TEAKARAANGA KATOA
Loose Forward
Fanua RIMONI 13
14 Ashleigh Quinlan
Int 1
Tavarna PAPALII 14
15 Nessa BIDDLE
Int 2
Christabelle ONESOME-TUILAEPA 15
16 Shannon Lorraine MATO
Int 3
Jasmine FOGAVINI 16
17 Ivana LAUITITI
Int 4
Christian PIO 17
18 Brooke ANDERSON
Reserve 1
Jaydika TAFUA 18

A Stacey Waaka hat-trick and masterful kicking game from skipper Raecene McGregor has guided New Zealand to a strong 32-0 World Cup semi-final win in Newcastle.

The Kiwi Ferns had their most connected performance of the campaign, but were made to fight as Samoa hung in the match until the dying stages.

Samoa made a nervous start and were shellshocked when Mackenzie Wiki dived over in the corner in the 2nd minute to give the Kiwi Ferns a 4-0 lead despite question marks over the put-down.

But New Zealand weren’t about to run away with it, making a string of handling errors in the face of the physical defence of their opposition.

Samoa managed to control possession in the New Zealand half for multiple repeat sets midway through the first stanza, but the attack didn’t flow enough the challenge the Kiwi Ferns defence.

After withstanding the pressure, the Kiwi Ferns added to their tally with a bit of fortune as halfback Raecene McGregor put a short chip into space on the try line, only for the ball to bounce on its point to allow Stacey Waaka to jump over everyone and come down with the four points.

It heralded in stark change in conditions as a blustery weather front rolled in, shaking the goalposts and making it tough for Chantay Kiria-Ratu to keep it on the tee, making goalkicking difficult.

The 8-0 half-time lead was extended soon after the break when McGregor and Waaka combined once again.

Receiving a pass off the back of an offload from Mele Hufanga, who was running rampant, the No.7 stepped inside a would-be defender and placed a deft cross-field kick into the arms of centre Waaka to score, and Kiria-Ratu’s conversion made it 14-0 after 45 minutes.

Samoa was throwing the ball around trying desperately to give themselves a sniff but struggled with execution, being pinged for a number of forward passes at critical moments.

The result was sealed by the 60th minute after Hufanga and second rower Kaiya Atai scored in back-to-back sets.

The game opened up and Waaka completed her hat-trick thanks to a flying flick pass from Annessa Biddle, before Raecene McGregor finished off the 32-0 win with a well-deserved four-pointer.

The Kiwi Ferns await the winner of the Jillaroos vs Fiji Bulikula semi-final on Sunday ahead of the World Cup final on November 15.

7 November 2026