Maddison Levi has been unable to inspire the Wallaroos to a hoodoo-busting victory, the Australians falling flat in an ugly 66-19 defeat to New Zealand.
At Auckland’s Go Media Stadium on Saturday, the Wallaroos – playing in their 100th Test match – were looking to beat the Black Ferns for the first time since their initial game against their rivals in 1994.
Despite feeling buoyed by the debut of Levi, Australia’s leading sevens try-scorer, the Wallaroos were completely outplayed, their chances of victory cruelled by a sea of errors and penalties.
Levi entered the fray in the 51st minute and showed glimpses of her potential in the 15-player game, helping wrestle back possession on a number of occasions while collecting five from five restarts.
But she struggled to make her time on the ball count, and the Wallaroos’ landmark 100th Test was one to forget.
“We knew they [debutants Levi and Pia Tapsell] were going to bring impact, and they did exactly that. They should be proud of the debut they were able to come out and do,” Wallaroos captain Siokapesi Palu Sekona told Sky Sports NZ.
“We’re definitely not pleased with our performance. It’s not a way that we want to represent our historic 100th Test match.
“A lot is happening behind the scenes in terms of movement in coaching staff and then personnel.”
New Zealand were ruthless from the outset and scored four unanswered tries.
But lock Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu was handed a yellow card and Australia’s flyhalf Waiaria Ellis dispatched a superb lofting ball to winger Desiree Miller to reduce the deficit to 26-7 at the break.
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Ill-discipline continued to wreak havoc for the visitors as the Kiwis made light work of their opponents’ dismal defence, finding the try-line five consecutive times.
One of those was to teenage debutant Shyrah Tuliau-Tua’a, who pounced on a charge-down in the 63rd minute.
Australia finally grabbed their second try when Ellis threw a dummy and stormed over, before interchange Brittany Merlo capitalised off a rolling maul with seven minutes remaining.
But another debutant, Amarante Sititi, crossed to complete the scoring and secure the O’Reilly Cup for the Black Ferns.
Australia will now look to the WXV Global Series in September, when they play reigning world champions England, world No 4 France and seventh-ranked Scotland.
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