IRL Women's Rugby League World Cup : Pool B

Sun 25th October 2026   - KO  15:50 - One NZ Stadium, Christchurch , New Zealand

New Zealand

92

FT

0

Half Time
46 - 0

France

Tries

Mackenzie WIKI (1,57)
Apii Nicholls (4,10,61,69)
Chanty KIRIA-RATU (7)
Raecene McGregor (19,40)
Stacey WAAKA (22,28,52)
Mele Hufanga (25,32,35)
Kaiyah ATAI (42)
Tenika WILLISON (46,48)

Goals

Chanty KIRIA-RATU (9/26)

Match Preview | New Zealand take on France in second group game in IRL Women's World Cup

New Zealand and France round off the weekend’s group-stage fixtures at the 2026 IRL Women’s Rugby League World Cup when they meet in Christchurch on Sunday, with kick-off at 2pm local time.

The Kiwi Ferns came from behind to secure an 18-12 victory over Fiji in their opening group game, with Leianne Tufuga scoring the decisive try to seal the win.

New Zealand have made several changes to their backline for Sunday’s clash, with Stacey Waaka moving into the centres and Tenika Willison and Mackenzie Wiki coming into the starting line-up on the wings.

France, meanwhile, will be looking to respond after suffering a heavy 58-4 defeat to Papua New Guinea in their opening match in Port Moresby. They have made five changes to their starting XIII, with Margot Canal, Perle Ramazeilles, Fanny Ramos, Leila Bessahli and Justine Roses all coming into the side for the meeting with New Zealand.

New Zealand (squad): Apii Nicholls, Tenika WILLISON, Mele Hufanga, Stacey WAAKA, Mackenzie WIKI, Chanty KIRIA-RATU, Raecene McGregor, Alexis TAUANEAI, Georgia Hale, Ivana LAUITITI, Nessa BIDDLE, Kaiyah ATAI, Brooke ANDERSON, Ashleigh Quinlan, Shannon Lorraine MATO, Shaniece MONSCHAU, Trinity TAUANEAI, Abigail Roache, Angelina TEAKARAANGA KATOA, Otesa PULE, Zahara TEMARA, Leianne TUFUGA

France (squad): Manon SAMARRA, Margot CANAL, Melisa MEDINA, Perle RAMAZEILLES, Haoua KESSELY, Camille BOUDAD, Lisa DIRAISON, Elisa AKPA, Fanny RAMOS, Leila BESSAHLI, Perrine MONSARRAT, Stecy BESSIER, Justine ROSES, Noemie SAMUEL, Salome SEGALA, Tallis ERANOSSIAN, Elodie PACULL, Cristina SONG PUCHE, Tessa BENMALEK, Sarah-Louise VERNAY, Amaël VILANOVE, Louisa TOOMAN

20 October 2026
1 Apii Nicholls
Full Back
Manon SAMARRA 1
2 Tenika WILLISON
Right Wing
Margot CANAL 2
3 Mele Hufanga
Right Centre
Melisa MEDINA 3
4 Stacey WAAKA
Left Centre
Perle RAMAZEILLES 4
5 Mackenzie WIKI
Left Wing
Haoua KESSELY 5
6 Chanty KIRIA-RATU
Stand Off
Camille BOUDAD 6
7 Raecene McGregor
Scrum Half
Lisa DIRAISON 7
8 Alexis TAUANEAI
Prop
Elisa AKPA 8
9 Georgia Hale
Hooker
Fanny RAMOS 9
10 Ivana LAUITITI
Prop
Leila BESSAHLI 10
11 Nessa BIDDLE
Second Row
Perrine MONSARRAT 11
12 Kaiyah ATAI
Second Row
Stecy BESSIER 12
13 Brooke ANDERSON
Loose Forward
Tallis ERANOSSIAN 13
14 Ashleigh Quinlan
Int 1
Justine ROSES 14
15 Shaniece MONSCHAU
Int 2
Noemie SAMUEL 15
16 Trinity TAUANEAI
Int 3
Salome SEGALA 16
17 Angelina TEAKARAANGA KATOA
Int 4
Elodie PACULL 17
18 Abigail Roache
Reserve 1
Cristina SONG PUCHE 18

The Kiwi Ferns have turned on a show for their home fans in Christchurch with a 92-0 win over France at the women's World Cup on Sunday.

With Alexis Tauaneai and Shaniece Monschau laying the platform, gun playmaker Raecene McGregor cashed in with five try assists and two four-pointers of her own as she bamboozled the French defence.

McGregor left the field with 10 minutes to play and was icing her ankle on the bench having been on the end of a hip drop tackle that saw Elodie Pacull placed on report.

From the moment Stacey Waaka puts Mackenzie Wiki over with a neat flick pass in the second minute, the Ferns dominated the opening half to run in nine tries.

By the time the sides went to the break the Ferns had a 46-0 lead with Mele Hufanga, Apii Nicholls and Waaka grabbing doubles.

It was more of the same after half-time with Kaiyah Atai busting the line in the opening set and sending Hufanga over for her third try of the match before McGregor and Atai crossed in quick succession to make it 64-0.

Dual international Tenika Willison grabbed a quickfire double in the 47th and 49th minute as the score blew out to 72-0 on the back of 76 per cent of possession going New Zealand's way.

Making her Test debut for the Ferns having previously played one Test for Cook Islands, five-eighth Chantay Kiria-Ratu helped herself to 24 points courtesy of a try and 10 goals.

Nicholls finished the day with four tries and 129 run metres while Waaka and Hufanga helped themselves to hat-tricks.

In three World Cup clashes the Kiwi Ferns have now defeated France by a combined score of 236-0.

Ricky Henry's side now set their sights on a Round 3 match-up with the PNG Orchids on the Gold Coast while France will look to finish their tournament on a high with a win over Fiji.

25 October 2026