Kiwi Ferns secure hard-fought victory over Fiji Bulikula in World Cup opener

The New Zealand Kiwi Ferns have opened their Rugby League World Cup campaign with a gritty 18-12 victory over Fiji Bulikula in Newcastle. As reported by RNZ, the New Zealand side had to overcome a significant challenge from the Fijian debutants, who led for much of the match before a late surge secured the win for the Ferns. The match began with Stacey Waaka crossing the line twice for New Zealand in the first half. Her first try was set up by a long pass from Apii Nicholls, while her second came courtesy of a delayed ball from centre Mele Hufanga. Despite these efforts, Fiji remained resilient, heading into the halftime break with a 12-10 lead following tries from Losana Lutu and Sienna Laing. The second half saw the Kiwi Ferns apply consistent pressure, yet they struggled to break through the disciplined Fijian defence for nearly twenty minutes. The turning point arrived when former Jillaroo Zahara Temara stepped up to slot two critical penalties. Her first successful kick leveled the scores, and her second gave the Ferns a narrow 14-12 lead with only five minutes remaining on the clock. The victory was finally sealed in the dying moments of the game. A superb chip kick from Raecene McGregor found Leianne Tufuga, who scored in the corner with two minutes left to play. While the Kiwi Ferns dominated territory in the final stanza, the RNZ report noted that the Fiji Bulikula refused to be overawed in their maiden World Cup appearance, pushing the New Zealand side until the final whistle. The Kiwi Ferns squad features a deep roster of talent, including Warriors representatives such as Kaiyah Atai, Mele Hufanga, Ivana Lauitiiti, and Stacey Waaka, alongside international standouts like Brianna Clark and Shannon Mato.