Rugby: New-look Black Ferns bounce back to obliterate Australia, retain O'Reilly Cup

The Black Ferns have bounced back with a 67-19 trouncing of Australia in their Pacific Four clash in Auckland on Saturday.

Eager to wash the bitter taste of last weekend's first ever test defeat to Canada, the hosts ran in 11 tries to three to defend the O'Reilly Cup with a test to spare.

The result means the Black Ferns finish second overall in the four-team competition, with Canada's heroics in Christchurch against the New Zealanders having already sealed the silverware.

Searching for answers, coach Allan Bunting made seven changes to the Black Ferns' run-on team and his young guns responded with a dominant all-round display, as Mererangi Paul led the way with another hat-trick of tries.

The NZ women ran in seven tries in the first half for a 45-7 advantage at the interval, killing off any hope the Wallaroos may have had of breaking their winless history against the Ferns.

The pick of the bunch was a sensational individual effort by wing Katelyn Vaha'akolo, who collected a stray pass inside her 22m and went the full length of the field with a superb chip and regather, before shrugging off the cover defence. 

That trend continued in the second half, with the Black Ferns running in a further four tries to complete the rout.

The Black Ferns will be back in action in July, when they travel to Brisbane for the second and final O'Reilly Cup test against Australia.

Black Ferns 67 (Olsen-Baker, Paul 3, Mikaele-Tu'u, Ponsonby, Vahaakolo, Viliko, Simon 2 tries; Holmes 6 con) Australia 19 (McKenzie 2, Stewart tries; McKenzie con)

The Black Ferns have bounced back with a 67-19 trouncing of Australia in their Pacific Four clash in Auckland on Saturday.

Eager to wash the bitter taste of last weekend's first ever test defeat to Canada, the hosts ran in 11 tries to three to defend the O'Reilly Cup with a test to spare.

The result means the Black Ferns finish second overall in the four-team competition, with Canada's heroics in Christchurch against the New Zealanders having already sealed the silverware.

Searching for answers, coach Allan Bunting made seven changes to the Black Ferns' run-on team and his young guns responded with a dominant all-round display, as Mererangi Paul led the way with another hat-trick of tries.

The NZ women ran in seven tries in the first half for a 45-7 advantage at the interval, killing off any hope the Wallaroos may have had of breaking their winless history against the Ferns.

The pick of the bunch was a sensational individual effort by wing Katelyn Vaha'akolo, who collected a stray pass inside her 22m and went the full length of the field with a superb chip and regather, before shrugging off the cover defence. 

That trend continued in the second half, with the Black Ferns running in a further four tries to complete the rout.

The Black Ferns will be back in action in July, when they travel to Brisbane for the second and final O'Reilly Cup test against Australia.

Black Ferns 67 (Olsen-Baker, Paul 3, Mikaele-Tu'u, Ponsonby, Vahaakolo, Viliko, Simon 2 tries; Holmes 6 con) Australia 19 (McKenzie 2, Stewart tries; McKenzie con)

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