England found out the hard way that what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas after they were pummelled 78-0 by the Jillaroos who could break records when they face Wales next week.
Australian players expected more of a contest from their rivals after embarrassing them 90-4 last year, but this was a mismatch from the outset as Tamika Upton proved yet again that she is the best player on the planet.
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There was one major blow for the tournament favourites with Julia Robinson suffering a suspected fractured left wrist in the first half which saw her taken to hospital in Perth.
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Appearing in her 15th international for the Jillaroos, Robinson was forced off the field minutes after she secured her 20th career Test try against England.
She will be a massive loss for the Aussies but they have so much depth with premiership star Jess Sergis available to come straight back in next week when they take on Wales.
Sideline reporter Katie Brown later confirmed Robinson had suffered a fractured wrist and was on her way to hospital.
“She will miss the remainder of the tournament,” Brown said.
Former English international James Graham described the injury as “awful” for Robinson and the Jillaroos.
“Awful news for Robinson there,” Graham said on commentary.
“It looked like friendly fire.”
That game could be anything given the Welsh have conceded 146 points in their two games, with Australia a chance of cracking triple digits next week in the perfect tune up for the semi-finals.
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BIG HITS
HAND THEM THE TROPHY
It’s going to take a miracle for anyone to stop Australia from winning the World Cup after their stars put on a show in Perth.
Upton had two huge kick returns in the opening minutes and had three try assists before the break, with the superstar fullback then latching onto a Jocelyn Kelleher chip kick to set up Abbi Church for her second of the evening.
Kelleher was player of the match on debut last week but was even better in this one with a couple of first-half tries, while Olivia Kernick was comfortably the best forward on the field.
Upton finished with five try assists, six line-break assists and nine tackle busts, but she somehow didn’t score one of her own.
TONE NOT SET
England’s hopes of avenging Vegas came up snake eyes from the opening kick-off when they were penalised for being offside.
Their second kick-off sailed out on the full and Jillaroos winger Jaime Chapman already had a double by the time they were restarting for the third time after seven minutes.
England missed 42 tackles and allowed a staggering 21 line-breaks as the gulf between the best and the rest was brutally exposed.
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