Fiji is defeated by the Wallaroos in their greatest home win, and the 22-year-old ties the try-scoring record.
After four attempts, Desiree Miller gets the Wallaroos back on track.
Following their disastrous Pacific Four campaign in which Jo Yapp’s new team lost to the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, the Wallaroos proved to be too strong for Fiji, defeating them 64-5 at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
On a night when they dominated every aspect of the game, the Wallaroos were never threatened, even though they gave up the opening points to a flying Adita Milinia. Not with Miller playing like that.
Desiree Miller gets the Wallaroos back on track after four tries.
After losing to the US, Canada, and New Zealand during their terrible Pacific Four campaign, Jo Yapp’s new squad, the Wallaroos, showed they were too powerful for Fiji on Saturday night, when they defeated them 64-5 at Allianz Stadium.
Though they conceded the first few points to a flying Adita Milinia, the Wallaroos were never in danger on a night when they controlled every facet of the game. Not with Miller performing that way.
Without pausing to consider facing their trans-Tasman cousins, Wallaroos captain Michaela Leonard grinned and stated, “We’ll enjoy this one first off and go back and review for next week.”
The night’s big star was Miller.
After Fiji crossed the goal after 12 minutes, the nimble NSW winger got up and demonstrated to the country how to handle situations where her teammates were having a rough time.
In just three minutes, Miller returned with a boom, and the Wallaroos were off and running.
exploding tight-head apparatus Eva Karpani then demonstrated her strength and physical prowess to quickly secure the Wallaroos’ third.
In thirty-one minutes, Miller had finished her hat-trick. Not long after the half, another would follow.
She saved her accolades for her teammates when she could have completed a lap of honor herself.
Promotion
“Those attempts wouldn’t have occurred if our internal organs weren’t functioning properly, so congratulations to them, I couldn’t ask for more,” she remarked, surrounded on the sidelines by the upcoming Wallaroos.
“It’s really special to be here and have all these girls look up to us; growing up, I never even knew women could playerugby. I hope we can build and grow the game and make it bigger and better.”
Leonard was eager to give her teammates early praise after the Wallaroos’ pack suffered a crushing defeat in the Pacific Four series, hoping to instill some confidence before next week’s crucial test.
The second-rower described Desi as an amazing athlete who possesses remarkable strength, power, and speed. He also does amazing finishing work, building on the excellent play of his forwards.
In contrast to the Wallaroos, who ran for an astounding 756 metres compared to Fiji’s 196m, Fiji was obliged to make 163 tackles to their 67.
Fiji suffered from a 36% lineout victory rate and 50 missed tackles while the Wallaroos exploited their opponents on the outskirts.Promotion
The tight-head prop frequently came off the bench in the first three hit-outs, but Karpani was a force through the middle and appeared more fit.
Atasi Lafai and Piper Duck, two loose forwards, were equally impressive, and Siokapesi Palu provided some aggressive, direct running off the bench.
After a rough few evenings behind slow ball, Arabella McKenzie had a lot better evening thanks to the rapid ball, which allowed recalled halfback Layne Morgan to free her up.