The Wallaroos, those mighty Aussie women rugby players, have finally snagged their first win over the United States on home turf! In a nail-biting match in Canberra, they triumphed with a 27-19 victory. Ashley Marsters, the open side flanker, was the star of the show with two tries that guided Australia to their well-deserved win. But let’s not forget about American prop Hope Rogers, who managed to score a hat-trick for the Eagles, giving the Wallaroos a run for their money.
The game took a dark turn when US inside centre Alev Kelter lost her cool and decided to stomp on the head of Wallaroo Georgina Friedrichs. It was a messy situation, with Friedrichs holding onto Kelter’s bootlaces while trying to complete a tackle, only to have the American repeatedly stomp on her head. Not cool, Kelter! She was promptly shown a straight red card for her outburst, leaving the Americans down a player in the 79th minute. Despite the drama, the Wallaroos managed to outscore the Americans four tries to three, claiming their first win in this year’s Pacific Four Series. The defense of the Wallaroos, especially in those tense moments on their goal line, proved to be the key to their success.
The Americans drew first blood with Hope Rogers scoring from close range in the 15th minute, but Australia quickly answered back with winger Charlotte Caslick notching up her first Test match try. Marsters and prop Eva Karpani added to the Wallaroos’ tally, giving them a 19-14 lead at halftime. Both teams managed to score one try each in the second half, with a penalty goal from Faitala Moleka extending Australia’s lead to eight points with 19 minutes left on the clock. Despite having the upper hand in possession and territory throughout the game, the Americans were plagued by errors that hindered their momentum. They conceded a whopping 17 penalties compared to Australia’s seven, which definitely didn’t help their cause. The US star Ilona Maher admitted, “I feel like at times we did it to ourselves, but there’s a lot to learn from.” Up next for Australia is a showdown with Canada at Lang Park next Friday. Get ready for some more rugby action, folks!