Australia thrashes Samoa 73-0 in record Women’s Rugby World Cup win

MANCHESTER, England (AP) – Australia racked up 11 tries and blanked Samoa 73-0 for a record Women’s Rugby World Cup score on Saturday.

Winger Desiree Miller dotted down a first half hat trick of tries but left the field in the second half after a head-on-head collision with Samoa’s Melina Grace Salale.

Salale became the first player in the tournament to be red-carded.

The Wallaroos eclipsed their previous best World Cup score of 68-12 against South Africa in 2006.

Australia took only 92 seconds to get on the scoreboard, a lineout drive finished by hooker Katalina Amosa, who made her test debut only in May.

The Wallaroos had the bonus point fourth try by the 15th minute. Miller was in support of fellow wing Maya Stewart to get her hat-trick try in the 33rd.

The pick of the tries was the first of two by fullback Caitlyn Halse, who at 18 became the Wallaroos’ youngest ever World Cup player – at least until the appearance in the tournament of teammate Waiaria Ellis, who is 17.

A looparound by flyhalf Faitala Moleka fed Halse into a gap 35 meters out and she was practically thrown over the try-line.

The entire Samoa side made its World Cup debut. The Manusina were playing their first World Cup match in 11 years.

Despite struggling for matches and available players, they were better than the score suggested, growing into the game and matching Australia’s intensity.

They conceded only one try while prop Ana Mamea was sin-binned in the first half, and two at the end when Salale was in the bin, before her yellow card was upgraded to a 20-minute red.

Samoa enjoyed rousing passages of offloads and front-rowers Glory Aiono, Mamea, Denise Aiolupotea and Tori Iosefo were a fearsome sight in open play.

They made Australia make a whopping 183 tackles but were let down by miscues in front of the try-line.

Winger Drenna Falaniko had a chance to become the first ever Manusina scorer against the Wallaroos, 16 years after their only other test, but knocked on while diving over the line in a tackle.

Australia has a likely quarterfinal-qualifier against the United States next Saturday, when Samoa faces host England.