Australia (60) 124
Tries: Kernick, Chapman 6, Church 2, Southwell, Sergis 4, Apps, Paki, Joseph 2, Upton 2, Nizza Goals: Southwell 20
Wales (0) 6
Tries: Travis Goals: Preston
Rampant Australia racked up the biggest score in international history as they hammered Wales in a Rugby League World Cup mismatch.
The Jillaroos, hunting a fourth successive title, ran in 21 tries in a predictably lopsided contest in Sydney.
The half-time score of 60-0 was the biggest of any World Cup match - men's or women's - and the Australians kept their foot down to win 124-6.
Wing Jaime Chapman's sixth try in the last minute ensured they beat Denmark men's biggest international score of 122-8 against Sweden in 2012.
The 118-point victory margin is the largest in any women's match, although France men retain their record win set in 2003 with a 120-0 rout of Serbia.
Yet there were wild Wales celebrations when, at 100-0 down, they became the first side to score against the Jillaroos in the tournament through Paige Travis.
The Jillaroos are three-time back-to-back champions, while Wales were taking part in the tournament for the first time having only played their first Test in 2021.
It was just their 16th fixture - and a first against Australia - with Tom Brindle's side having already been beaten 70-6 by England and 76-0 by Samoa at the World Cup.
Full of NRLW talent, Australia showed a killer instinct and an intensity that Wales were exposed to for the first time.
It all came after Wales, whose captain Bethan Dainton was the tournament's top tackler by a distance in the first two rounds with 77, rose to the occasion with a strong start.
But Australia struck in the sixth minute through lock Olivia Kernick following prop Makenzie Weale's terrific offload out the back, and the Jillaroos then clicked into gear.
Long-striding, hard-fending Chapman scored a double down the left and fellow wing Abbi Church powered through weak tackles on the right.
Wales were unable to string together good moments and a fifth try came through Jesse Southwell from failure to claim a regulation high ball just seconds after Jade Mullen had put in a huge tackle.
Australia were ruthless and the scores kept coming through centre Jessica Sergis, second row Kezie Apps and Chapman for a first-half hat-trick.
Sergis brought up the half-century with a weaving run and was followed over by second row Sariah Paki.
The stats told the story - Australia had 84% of possession in the first half and completed 21 of 22 sets, with almost 13 minutes of possession to two minutes and 29 seconds.
It took just over a minute for Keilee Joseph to get the scoreboard ticking after the restart and the scores kept coming from Sergis, Chapman, Joseph again and Church.
The Jillaroos beat their 92-0 record, set against France in the 2022 World Cup, when Southwell converted Sergis' fourth try, hitting three figures when the extras were added to star full-back Tamika Upton's breakaway.
Wales' moment came when Travis, scorer of their historic try against England, won the race to Tayla Preston's kick through.
It was only a brief change of pattern with Keeley Nizza, Chapman twice and Upton going over to complete the destruction.
Wales captain Bethan Dainton said:
"We just wanted to create a legacy back home for young girls coming through, and I think we did that. The scorelines haven't been in our favour but no one gave up and I am so proud of the girls."
