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Jillaroos still yet to peak: Sims

Australian skipper Ruan Sims says her side have yet to get anywhere near their best despite an impressive start to the women's Rugby League World Cup.

Ruan Sims of Australia is tackled during a game
Ruan Sims says her side have yet to get anywhere near their best despite an impressive start. (AAP)

You haven't seen anything yet.

That's the warning from Australian skipper Ruan Sims to the rest of the women's Rugby League World Cup teams.

The defending champions have made a flying start to the tournament, smashing minnows the Cook Islands 58-4 and highly rated England 38-0 in their opening two matches.

But ahead of their final pool game, against Canada at Southern Cross Group Stadium on Wednesday, Sims said they weren't yet anywhere near their best.

Despite conceding just one try in their last 160 minutes of football and being unbeaten in 2017, Sims said they still had "a good 20 per cent growth" in performance to come.

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Sims pointed to their 68 per cent completion rate against the English as an area where there was room for big improvement.

"From our perspective there's a lot we can improve on from the last two outings," Sims said.

"I think it speaks volumes about us, having that growth mindset, we can cast a critical eye over our performances and see where we can improve.

"There were a few areas where we can improve in the last game especially.

"We're definitely going to work on it against Canada tomorrow and then going into the semis."

Unless PNG can cause a major upset and beat New Zealand on Wednesday, Australia will also meet Canada in Sunday's semi-final.

While the Canadians, who are made up of mostly rugby union sevens players, are not expected to trouble the Jillaroos, Sims described them as unconventional and capable of hurting them on the scoreboard.

"Their background is rugby union and sevens and that is just such a dynamic space in women's football," Sims said.

"Bringing that into rugby league really adds an another dimension that we haven't seen before.

"It will be very interesting to see how we go against them."

Sims will captain the Jillaroos in their final pool clash with co-skipper Steph Hancock rested.

In other team news, Maddie Studdon will get a chance to impress in the No.7 jersey with Caitlin Moran not named in coach Brad Donald's 17.

Corban McGregor has been named at fullback with Nake Davis-Welsh - who has been a standout during the tournament - also rotated out of the side.

Centre Isabelle Kelly has also been rested after she was cleared of a biting allegation during the side's win over England on Sunday.


3 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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