Australia's 31-all draw with the USA has blown Pool A wide open at the World Cup, with points differential now set to play a major factor in who will go join England in the quarter finals
The Red Roses brushed aside Samoa 92-3 to take an unassailable lead at the top of the pool, with the USA 135 points behind the Wallaroos on point differential.
Watch the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup live and on-demand via Stan Sport.
However, Australia could be sent home early if England beat the Wallaroos by a larger margin to their 69-7 defeat of the USA, and the Eagles beat Samoa by a larger margin than the Wallaroos' 73-0 victory over Manusina.
With coach Jo Yapp admitting the result felt "flat and disappointing", two-try winger Desiree Miller agreed and pointed to a swathe of missed opportunities.
“I mean, it's kind of funny and great for fans,” Miller told reporters post-game.
“I know it might be hard to see for you guys now, but that was an incredible game of rugby, I mean, it was just phenomenal. We always knew it was going to be tight, it always is.
“I get it for the neutral, but for us we're probably just frustrated right now.”
Regardless of the result, Australian fans would be delighted with their back three performance as Caitlyn Halse furthered her case as the tournament's breakout performer.
The Wallaroos fullback brought her tournament tally to four tries with another brace and laid on two more assists for Miller down the left edge.
“I'm just trying to do my job, trying to get the wingers the ball and when there's some space I just take it,” Halse said post-game.
“I think they're [Stewart and Miller] definitely the fastest on the pitch, I think both sides of the ball. So just trying to get the ball in their hands, get some gain line and hopefully set them up for some tries.
“Once you're in the game, I think it's just like every other game.
“I think you're just trying to do what's best for your team and somehow end up with the ball every time and over the line.”
“Today I thought she [Halse] was really assured in the back,” Miller said of her back three team mate.
“Just like a kicker for touch and her ability to put it in the corner, I thought she was much more accurate with that today.”
The Wallaroos will have plenty to work on to contain England next weekend, with their penalty count (13-6 against) a major point of discussion for post-match.
“The main work on was just our discipline,” Halse said.
“We just let them roll down until the end. I think when we played our style of footy, when we played on top, I think we found space really easy and we ended up scoring points.
“I don't know how to sum up the feeling but I think that was a tough game, a bit sad to be honest.
“We've just got to take the positives out of how we played and then take the learnings from that and take it into next week and hopefully put on a performance against England.”
“We need to obviously regroup, review and ultimately, like every week, it's about us and we need to take the learnings from today to make sure we're better again next week,” Miller echoed.
“Like Jo [Yapp] was saying, it's the discipline that let us down so hopefully we've done enough over the last two weeks to put us in the best place possible.
“When we go against England next week we can put ourselves again in the best possible position.”
The Wallaroos now head to Brighton with a mountain to climb. England have only lost one game this decade - the 2021 World Cup final - and are on a 29-game winning streak.
However, Halse is excited by the challenge ahead and a hostile home crowd.
“It's obviously England,” Halse smiled.
“There's going to be a lot of people there, probably going to be sold out. The atmosphere of the game, feeding off the energy from the crowd and then hopefully playing our style of footy and scoring some points.
“The crowds have been good. I haven't played in front of so many people. [I’m] definitely trying to feed off the energy and then use it for the good of the team.”
