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Wild weather delayed play for nearly three hours before the Wallaroos were outmuscled 33-12 by the United States in a Pacific Four Series rugby clash that went beyond midnight in Kansas.
Prop Hope Rogers scored a double as the hosts ran in the final three tries after Australian winger Desiree Miller’s try early in the second half made it a two-point game.
Australia’s squad had bunkered in a hotel hallway earlier in the week during a tornado warning, after being beaten by Canada in the wet last weekend, and will appreciate their return home to face New Zealand on the Sunshine Coast, on Anzac Day next Saturday.
The Wallaroos conceded nine first-half penalties and had only 30% of the ball before the first break.
“We can definitely say that ill-discipline was the reason why we probably weren’t able to play the rugby game that we wanted,” captain Siokapesi Palu Sekona said post-match.
“Playing a host nation, they’re always going to have an advantage in that space, but there’s no excuse from our end.
“We’ve always been an us-versus-us mentality, and what it means is that we’ve got a lot of work to do once we go back. We’ll travel home and start working towards that match.”
Rogers opened the scoring and Maya Stewart was yellow-carded for Australia’s repeat infringements.
But the Australians scored next, the captain crashing over after Samantha Wood’s smart 50-22 kick.
Georgie Perris-Redding scored a deserved try for the US before halftime but, after Miller gave Australia hope, the hosts shut the door in an emphatic final 25 minutes.
English (US)