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Live sport on SN this weekendKiwi Ferns victorious in historic whitewash of France at World Cup
Annabelle Banfield, AAP •  October 25th, 2026 6:40 pm
Stacey Waaka was among eight try-scorers as New Zealand crushed hapless France at the World Cup | Photo: John Davidson/Photosport
New Zealand have dominated France to secure their greatest women's rugby league win in a 92-0 World Cup victory in Christchurch.
The Kiwis showed their vast improvements a week on from a shaky opening match when they scored a tight 18-12 win over Fiji.
"We were a bit disappointed by the result last week, so great to bounce back," captain Raecene McGregor said post game.
New Zealand are now in pole position to go undefeated in Group B, with their final game to lock in a semi-final position to come against Papua New Guinea on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Kaiyah Atai goes in on an embarrassing afternoon for France | Photo: John Davidson/Photosport
France have never scored a point against the Kiwi Ferns, with the Chanticleers blown out in their two previous match-ups 46-0 in 2022 and 88-0 in 2013.
The home side were a step above their French opposition all afternoon, with 1782 running metres to just 314.
It was a true team effort for New Zealand with their 18 tries scored by 8 different players.
Fullback Apii Nicholls scored four, while centres Mele Hufanga and Stacey Waaka notched hat-tricks.
Mackenzie Wiki, Raecene McGregor and Tenika Willison scored doubles.
Kaiyah Atai and Chantay Kiria-Ratu had a try each, with the latter also slotting 10 conversions.
Mackenzie Wiki scoring one of her two tries. New Zealand piled on 46 points in each half | Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Kiria-Ratu and McGregor made up a new-look halves pairing, steering New Zealand around the park comfortably.
The scoring started just 90 seconds in, with Mackenzie Wiki crossing in the corner.
It was one-way traffic for the rest of the game, with France never going close to the try line.
Nine first half tries gave New Zealand a 46-0 buffer at the break.
In the second half the French defence couldn't last a minute, with player of the match Hufanga bursting over for her third try just 50 seconds after the break.
France managed just one tackle in New Zealand territory for the entire second half, creeping over the halfway line with four minutes to play.
They have now conceded 30 tries in the tournament and scored just one, following a 58-4 loss to the Papua New Guinea Orchids in round one.
It will be another difficult game for Les Bleues next week when they face off against a Fiji side hunting for a semi-finals berth.
