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Sport WorldBriefRugby Checked story Published 7 November 2026 · Updated 7 Nov, 13:52 UTC

New Zealand 32–0 Samoa: Waaka's hat-trick sends the Kiwi Ferns into the Women's Rugby League World Cup final

New Zealand beat Samoa 32–0 in the Women's Rugby League World Cup semi-final at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Saturday 7 November 2026, reaching their seventh successive final. The Kiwi Ferns led only 8–0 at half-time after tries from Mackenzie Wiki and Stacey Waaka, but Waaka completed a hat-trick in the second half as New Zealand scored four tries in the final 12 minutes. They will face Australia or Fiji in the final in Brisbane on Sunday 15 November.

The Kiwi Ferns in action against the Australian Jillaroos in 2014 (file photo)
Photo: via Wikimedia Commons · (File photo — not from this match)
Verified New Zealand beat Samoa 32–0 at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Saturday 7 November 2026 in the Women's Rugby League World Cup semi-final. New Zealand's tries: Mackenzie Wiki, Stacey Waaka (3), Mele Hufanga, Kaiya Atai and Raecene McGregor, with Chantay Kiria-Ratu kicking two goals. The Kiwi Ferns led 8–0 at half-time.

Key points

  • New Zealand 32–0 Samoa in Newcastle — 8–0 at half-time, four tries in the final 12 minutes.
  • Stacey Waaka scored a hat-trick and set up the opener; she now has nine tries for the tournament.
  • The Kiwi Ferns reach a seventh successive World Cup final.
  • The final is in Brisbane on Sunday 15 November, against Australia or Fiji.

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What happened

Samoa made the stronger defensive stand for most of the first half after Wiki's second-minute try, holding repeat sets without scoring, before Waaka's first try from a McGregor chip made it 8–0 at the break. McGregor and Waaka combined again five minutes after half-time, and by the 60th minute Hufanga and Atai had sealed the result in back-to-back sets.

The game then opened up: Waaka completed her hat-trick from Annessa Biddle's flick pass and McGregor scored the final try. Samoa coach Frank Pritchard said his young side, playing its first World Cup since 2008, had had a successful tournament despite the defeat.

Both sides, in their own words

Both sides heard. Neither believed for free. Publishing a side's version is not endorsing it — the claim checks below are where verdicts live.

Side A · New Zealand

  • Waaka's hat-trick took her to nine tries for the tournament, level at the top of the scoring chart, and captain Raecene McGregor's kicking game created her first two tries.
  • Seven finals in a row — and after three straight final defeats, this side gets its shot at a first title since 2008.

Side B · Samoa

  • Samoa, in their first World Cup semi-final, held the Ferns to 8–0 until the 45th minute and made the favourites fight for every point.
  • Coach Frank Pritchard called it a successful tournament for a young team and said the future is bright for Samoa.

Independently verified

New Zealand beat Samoa 32–0 at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Saturday 7 November 2026 in the Women's Rugby League World Cup semi-final. New Zealand's tries: Mackenzie Wiki, Stacey Waaka (3), Mele Hufanga, Kaiya Atai and Raecene McGregor, with Chantay Kiria-Ratu kicking two goals. The Kiwi Ferns led 8–0 at half-time. Waaka set up Wiki's opening try in the second minute and then scored three of her own — two from McGregor kicks — taking her to nine tries for the tournament, level with Australia's Jaime Chapman at the top of the scoring chart. New Zealand will play the winner of Sunday's second semi-final, Australia v Fiji, in the final in Brisbane on Sunday 15 November. It is the Kiwi Ferns' seventh successive World Cup final; they won the first three tournaments, in 2000, 2003 and 2008, and lost the last three finals to Australia, including 54–4 in the 2021 final.

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New Zealand 34–10 Tonga: Ponga's comeback from a broken arm steers the Kiwis into their first Rugby League World Cup final since 2013

New Zealand beat Tonga 34–10 in the Rugby League World Cup semi-final at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Saturday 7 November 2026, reaching their first final since 2013. The Kiwis trailed 10–6 late in the first half but led 12–10 at the break and scored 22 unanswered points in the second half. Kalyn Ponga, playing 23 days after breaking his arm in the tournament opener, set up three tries and was named player of the match. New Zealand will face Australia or Samoa in the final in Brisbane on Sunday 15 November.

  • VerifiedNew Zealand beat Tonga 34–10 at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Saturday 7 November 2026 in the Rugby League World Cup semi-final. The Kiwis' tries: Briton Nikora, Dane Gagai, Casey McLean, Jahrome Hughes, Xavier Willison and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, with Jamayne Isaako kicking five goals. Tonga's points came from two Jojo Fifita tries and an Isaiya Katoa goal. Tonga led 10–6 late in the first half; the Kiwis led 12–10 at half-time and scored 22 unanswered points after it.
  • VerifiedKalyn Ponga returned from a broken arm to run the game: the fullback broke his left arm in the tournament opener against Australia on 15 October, had surgery, and played again 23 days later, setting up three of New Zealand's six tries, pulling off a try-saving tackle on Demitric Vaimauga, and being named player of the match.
  • VerifiedThe win puts New Zealand in a World Cup final for the first time since 2013 — when they lost to Australia — and the 2008 champions will play the final at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium on Sunday 15 November against Australia or Samoa, who meet in the second semi-final in Sydney on Sunday.
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1 hr ago
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Everton 3–1 Coventry City: Barry's five-minute brace turns it around and sends the Toffees fifth

Everton came from behind to beat Coventry City 3–1 at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Friday 6 November 2026 in the Premier League, Matchday 10. Yann Gboho put Coventry ahead in the 52nd minute with his first goal for the club, but Thierno Barry headed an equaliser from Vitaliy Mykolenko's cross four minutes later and bundled in a second in the 61st minute, before setting up Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for the third in the 81st. The win — Everton's third in a row — sends them fifth overnight, on the night David Moyes equalled Harry Catterick's record of 592 matches in charge of the club.

  • VerifiedEverton beat Coventry City 3–1 at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Friday 6 November 2026 in Premier League Matchday 10. The scorers: Yann Gboho for Coventry (52'), then Thierno Barry (56' and 61') and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (81') for Everton. It was goalless at half-time.
  • VerifiedGboho's opener was his first goal for Coventry, in only his second league appearance. Barry's equaliser was a header from Vitaliy Mykolenko's cross; his second, five minutes later, was bundled in from barely two yards out; and Barry then provided the assist for Dewsbury-Hall's angled third, nine minutes from time.
  • VerifiedCoventry had two penalty appeals checked and not given: James Tarkowski's tangle with Caleb Yirenkyi, in which he appeared to pull the midfielder's hair with the score goalless, drew no action from VAR; and Vitalii Mykolenko's challenge on Taiwo Awoniyi was ruled to have been made fractionally outside the box. Barry's second goal also stood despite suggestions the ball had brushed his arm before crossing the line.
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Hamburg 3–1 Borussia Mönchengladbach: Muheim and Grønbæk screamers sink ten-man Gladbach, who stay bottom

Hamburger SV beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 3–1 at the Volksparkstadion on Friday 6 November 2026 in the Bundesliga, Matchday 9. Miro Muheim opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a shot measured at 129.43 km/h — the fastest of the Bundesliga season — Joe Scally levelled for Gladbach in the 44th minute, and after Kou Itakura was sent off for a second yellow card early in the second half, Shafiq Nandja restored Hamburg's lead with his first senior goal in the 59th minute before Albert Grønbæk sealed the win with another long-range strike in the 70th. Hamburg's fourth win of the season pulls them further clear of the relegation zone; Gladbach stay bottom after their worst-ever nine-game start to a top-flight season.

  • VerifiedHamburger SV beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 3–1 at the Volksparkstadion on Friday 6 November 2026 in Bundesliga Matchday 9. The scorers: Miro Muheim (11') and Joe Scally's equaliser for Gladbach (44') before half-time, then Shafiq Nandja (59') and Albert Grønbæk (70') for Hamburg after the break.
  • VerifiedMuheim's opener was measured by the Bundesliga at 129.43 km/h from 30.44 metres — the fastest shot of the current Bundesliga campaign. Grønbæk's clincher was struck from 27.54 metres at 112.51 km/h, and Grønbæk was voted Man of the Match.
  • VerifiedGladbach defender Kou Itakura was sent off early in the second half for a second yellow card — he had been booked in the 40th minute and pulled down David Møller Wolfe on the halfway line (the Sportradar record gives the dismissal at 49'). Nandja's goal, ten minutes later, was the youth product's first goal in senior football.
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15 hrs ago
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