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New Zealand's rugby league team came from behind to beat debutants Fiji 18-12 in their opening World Cup game.
Level 1 · Easy
New Zealand’s women’s rugby league team beat Fiji 18-12 on Sunday in Newcastle. It was Fiji’s first time playing in the World Cup.
People expected New Zealand to win easily. But Fiji played very well. They led 12-10 at half-time. New Zealand had never at the break in any World Cup game before.
In the second half, New Zealand fought back. They scored penalty kicks and a late try to win the game. Their coach said the match was a for the team.
Level 2 · Medium
New Zealand’s women’s rugby league team survived a big scare on Sunday, beating Fiji 18-12 in Newcastle. Fiji were playing in their first-ever World Cup match and almost caused an .
Stacey Waaka scored early for New Zealand, but Fiji fought back strongly. Losana Lutu scored Fiji’s first World Cup try after a smart run by captain Sereana Naitokatoka. Sienna Laing then scored another try, giving Fiji a 12-4 lead. Waaka scored again, but New Zealand still 12-10 at the break. Prior to this match, New Zealand had never trailed at the break during a World Cup fixture.
In the second half, penalty kicks from Zehara Temara gave New Zealand the lead. Near the end of the match, Leianne Tufuga scored from a kick by Raecene McGregor to seal the victory.
New Zealand coach Ricky Henry admitted his team played poorly and called the difficult match a . New Zealand will play France next in Christchurch, while Fiji will face Papua New Guinea.
Level 3 · Real news English
New Zealand avoided a stunning in their Women’s World Cup opener on Sunday, fighting back to defeat Fiji 18-12 in Newcastle. New Zealand, three-time champions who have reached all six tournament finals, were expected to cruise to victory, but they were pushed to their limits.
The match started well for New Zealand when Stacey Waaka crossed the line after just two minutes. However, the Fijian team responded with great energy. Fiji captain Sereana Naitokatoka set up Losana Lutu for their nation’s first-ever Women’s World Cup try. Five minutes later, Sienna Laing scored again to give Fiji a surprising 12-4 advantage.
Waaka added a second try before the to narrow the , but New Zealand still 12-10 at the break. Remarkably, this was the first time in their World Cup history that they had been behind at half-time.
Fiji defended bravely throughout the second half, but New Zealand’s constant slowly shifted the match. Zehara Temara kicked penalties to level the scores and then put New Zealand ahead. The remained in the balance until the closing minutes, when a cross-field kick from Raecene McGregor allowed Leianne Tufuga to touch down and secure the win.
After the match, New Zealand head coach Ricky Henry called the performance a , admitting his side moved away from their game plan. Forward Georgia Hale also noted that the team lacked discipline and relied on some luck in the end. New Zealand will now travel home to Christchurch to face France in Group B, while Fiji take on Papua New Guinea.
Words to learn
- debutants — نووارد کھلاڑی (no-warid khiladi): people or teams appearing in a competition for the first time “The young debutants played fearlessly in their first international tournament.”
- upset — غیر متوقع جیت (ghair mutawaqqe jeet): a surprising victory by an underdog over a favoured opponent “The smaller club caused an upset by beating the league leaders.”
- trailed — پیچھے رہے (peeche rahe): were behind an opponent in score “The team trailed by two goals before mounting a comeback.”
- interval — وقفہ (waqfa): a short break between two halves or parts of a game “Both teams went to the dressing rooms during the interval.”
- pressure — دباؤ (dabao): continuous force or difficulty put on an opponent “Constant attacking pressure forced the defenders into a mistake.”
- wake-up call — ہوشیار کرنے والا واقعہ (hoshyar karne wala waqia): an event that acts as a warning to improve or take action “Failing the practice test was a wake-up call for the students.”
- contest — مقابلہ (muqabla): a competition or struggle between two sides “The final cricket match was an exciting contest until the last ball.”
- deficit — کمی یا خسارہ (kami ya khasara): the amount by which a score or total is behind “The striker scored quickly to reduce the goal deficit.”
Quick quiz
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What was the final score of the match between New Zealand and Fiji?
- 12-4
- 12-10
- 18-12
- 21-18
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Why was the 12-10 half-time score significant for New Zealand?
- It was their lowest score in history
- It was the first time they were behind at half-time in a World Cup game
- It resulted in their immediate exit from the tournament
- It set a record for the most points conceded in one half
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Who scored the first-ever Women's World Cup try for Fiji?
- Losana Lutu
- Sereana Naitokatoka
- Sienna Laing
- Leianne Tufuga
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What does the word 'debutants' mean in the story?
- Teams playing in the tournament for the first time
- Teams that have won the title three times
- Referees officiating an important game
- Injured players who cannot take part
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Which team will New Zealand face in their next Group B match in Christchurch?
- Australia
- Papua New Guinea
- Wales
- France