Kiwis And Jillaroos Triumph At Pacific Championships

New Zealand's men came from down to hit Samoa successful nan Pacific Championships last - while Australia retained nan women's title successful ascendant fashion.

The Kiwis scored 30 unanswered points successful nan 2nd half to triumph 36-14 successful Parramatta, Australia - and supply a fitting send-off for Kieran Foran successful his last lucifer arsenic a professional.

Veteran half-back Foran, 35, was playing his 34th and last Test lucifer arsenic he brought a 16-year world profession to an end.

And he played a cardinal domiciled arsenic New Zealand won nan men's title for nan 2nd clip successful 3 years.

Julia Robinson starred pinch 2 of Australia's 7 tries arsenic they hit New Zealand 40-8 successful nan women's last astatine Parramatta's Western Sydney Stadium.

The Jillaroos - who started their twelvemonth pinch a 90-4 triumph complete England successful Las Vegas successful March - underlined their position arsenic world number ones.

Victory successful nan women's last came little than 24 hours aft their antheral counterparts wrapped up a 3-0 Rugby League Ashes bid triumph successful England.

World champions Australia were not progressive successful nan men's Pacific Championships because of their committedness to touring England.

And Samoa - beaten by nan Kangaroos successful nan World Cup last astatine Old Trafford 3 years agone - were hopeful of a first world trophy erstwhile they led New Zealand 12-0 acknowledgment to tries from Brian To'o and Simi Sasagi.

But nan Kiwis responded done Naufahu Whyte to way 14-6 astatine nan break, and past produced 5 unanswered tries successful nan 2nd half.

Interchange forwards Whyte and Erin Clark were cardinal to nan comeback, on pinch Foran and man of nan lucifer Dylan Brown.

Foran and stand-off Brown mixed to nonstop complete Isaiah Papali'i for nan first of his 2 tries soon aft half-time.

After a Jamayne Isaako punishment levelled nan scores, New Zealand stepped up nan gait and Clark, Casey McLean, Papali'i and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad ran successful tries against nan tiring Samoans, to nan delight of nan retiring Foran.

"I wanted it truthful severely for New Zealand," Foran said. "It has meant truthful overmuch to maine playing for my country."

The half-back, who announced successful July that he would decorativeness his NRL profession astatine nan extremity of this play aft 3 years pinch Gold Coast Titans, will now rejoin his first nine Manly Sea Eagles arsenic an adjunct coach.

Australia's women conceded only 4 points connected nan measurement to winning past year's Pacific Championship title - and no-one has been capable to shingle their power this time.

New Zealand did trial them successful nan group stage, only losing 10-4 successful a tight lucifer successful Auckland.

But nan Jillaroos, who began nan tourney pinch a 60-0 complete Samoa, were comfortable 40-8 winners successful nan final.

They led 24-0 aft 31 minutes, and were ne'er earnestly troubled moreover erstwhile Shanice Parker and Tysha Ikenasio pulled 2 tries backmost for New Zealand aft half-time.

Olivia Kernick's third-minute effort group Australia connected their way, pinch Robinson leaping spectacularly to propulsion a Jesse Southwell crossfield footwear retired of nan aerial to spell complete for nan first of her 2 scores.

Keilee Joseph and Ellie Johnston added further Australia tries earlier nan break; Jessica Sergis, Tamika Upton and Robinson wrapped up nan win.