Julia Robinson’s historic six-try night has led Australia’s 84-0 rout of Papua New Guinea in a one-sided Pacific Championships opener in Brisbane.
Fellow Australian winger Jakiya Whitfeld (five tries) also went past Sam Bremner’s previous high of four tries set two years ago, with the Jillaroos scoring a record 17 in all on Friday at Suncorp Stadium.
It was hardly a fair fight against a side boasting just one NRLW regular in Elsie Albert, with 10 of the side PNG-based and fresh off the Orchids’ maiden, seven-week domestic season.
The Orchids, only formed in 2017, had moments but also endured torment in the form of La-Toniya Norris-Addo’s suspected first-half ACL tear.
The hosts landed just 8-of-17 conversions, most coming from the sideline, to leave them short of the 92-0 high water mark set against France in 2022.
It was still their biggest win over PNG and a handy tune-up ahead of a rematch with New Zealand, who beat them in their last Test, in a fortnight.
“We’re a little bit behind that at the moment but I think it is (worth playing),” PNG coach and former Jillaroos great Tahnee Norris said of the fixture.
An NRLW side in Port Moresby is also part of the pitch to have an NRL team based in the country by 2028.
On Sunday in the PNG capital Australia’s schoolgirls side were made to work in a 14-4 defeat of the Junior Orchids.
“These girls need to know how hard it actually is and the standards needed to play at this level,” Norris said.
“It’s a tough game, a tough ask but the girls kept fighting; they’re tough.”
PNG held firm for eight minutes before Brisbane winger Robinson broke the deadlock by busting through the ruck to set up Tamika Upton for the first try.
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Robinson scored the next two tries as the Jillaroos found more space on the left and she completed her hattrick in the 27th minute just after Jakiya Whitfeld opened her account in similar fashion on the right wing.
Whitfield scored twice more while the Orchids were a player down after Roswita Kapo was sin-binned for a professional foul.
Five Orchids boast NRLW experience but only Parramatta’s Albert is a bona fide product.
The prop was the sole change to the side beaten 50-0 by the Prime Minister’s XIII in Port Moresby on Sunday.
It was 44-0 at halftime in that game, whereas this side at least restricted the full-strength Australian squad to 36 points in the first, 35-minute half.
The Jillaroos then put their foot down, however, as Tarryn Aiken chipped for Upton to score under the posts. Penitani and Isabelle Kelly each followed her over before the wingers went try-for-try to both pass Bremner’s record, with Robinson finishing one clear as the floodgates opened.
