I think what broke them was the controversial penalty award near the end when the score was 18-18. The NZ full back appeared to drop the ball in a tackle about 30 yards from the Fiji line and the ref ruled knock on. The kiwis challenged the decision, video ref viewed it from various angles before saying the ball had been stripped and changed the decision to penalty. I don't know what he had been looking at, and neither did the commentators as no-one appeared to touch the ball - and that gave NZ two free points. Frustrating for Fiji but not a lot could be done about it.
Tonga Vs Samoa - to describe the match as bruising isn't a near enough description. It's like two teams of tanks driving into each other at full speed - not short of skill either. Anyone's guess who will win - HT 12-10 to Samoa.
Samoa win 20-18 - I'm bruised and exhausted just from watching it. I think England will find them a very different proposition to the team they beat 60-6 in the first match.
After losing their first 2 games Pakistan have reached the final impressively beating New Zealand by 7 wickets .
Watching the Women's RL World Cup semi between Australia & New Zealand - it's as bruising an encounter as the men's game. The Kiwis have a forward who is built like a large Bottle tree - and whenever she runs with the ball it takes 3-4 Aussies to stop her - one hanging off each leg. In spite of that, it's a close game - Aussies leading 6-4.
Australia win 16-14. One of the hardest games of Rugby League I've ever watched - really don't know how both sides kept up that pace for virtually the whole game. Well done to the Kiwis for pushing us so close... Up against England or Samoa in the final next weekend - the players will certainly be glad of the week's rest.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall. A near perfect game plan by the Aussie coach - kept carrying the ball through the middle, wearing the big Kiwi forwards out - allowed the Aussies to dominate towards the end.
Heartbreak for the Red Roses . Just edged out by New Zealand in the World Cup final despite a fantastic effort having to play a women down for an hour or so. Were still in front going into the last 10 minutes but the hosts got a late decisive try.
A seesawing scoreline, but Samoa have just stretched their lead to 20 -12. Twenty minutes to go and England need to score twice if they want to win. All-in brawl just erupted...
