Mention of Las Vegas may send a shiver down the spine of any England women's rugby league supporter, not because of the slot machines or buffet, but because England suffered a record 90-4 defeat by Australia at the Allegiant Stadium in Nevada. That March 2025 meeting had been billed as the first in a three-match Test series and a centrepiece of rugby league's push in the US.
Instead, it exposed the gulf between the Jillaroos, winners of the previous three World Cups, and England, who conceded 17 tries in a lopsided affair. Georgia Roche, who scored England's only try, was seen in tears at the final whistle and consoled by her opponents. Many believed the women's game in the northern hemisphere had hit a new low, with England's World Cup prospects almost dismissed.
However, the defeat has also prompted a shift in England head coach Stuart Barrow's thinking. Only six players from the Las Vegas squad feature in this tournament, and the squad is youthful and dynamic. Barrow says excitement, not trepidation, is the mood in the camp as they prepare to face the World Cup co-hosts in Perth on Saturday (10:05 BST). "The youngsters coming in think that they can do better than what we did last time and I fully back that," Barrow said. England thrashed Wales 70-6 in their opener, but Jasmin Strange's serious knee injury in training is a devastating blow, ruling her out of the tournament.
Barrow insists the Las Vegas result is "buried" and "in the past", but says England have learned from it. Senior players who were in that game are sharing their experience with the younger group. Australia opened with a 40-0 win over Samoa, and Barrow says England must improve on the unforced handling errors they made last weekend. Australia hooker Keeley Nizza has made clear they will not take England lightly.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing