Samoa came so close to scoring, and it would have been a well-earned score.

Prop forward Laikha Clarke charged to the line, with four Australians trying to stop her.

Clarke came down short and spilled the ball trying to score.

AUS 34

SAM 0

Credit to the Samoans, thus far, in this second half.

It would have been easy to throw in the towel, especially after Keilee Joseph's try.

But the women in blue have since defended their goal-line twice, and in attack have had some charging sets into attacking positions.

AUS 34

SAM 0

Lovely play from Australia.

Attacking the goal-line, a lovely pass from Olivia Kernick put Keilee Joseph through a small gap for the score.

AUS 34

SAM 0

The Jillaroos have continued from where they finished the first half.

But the women in green and gold have yet to score.

They were attacking the Samoan goal-line, but a forward pass from Tamika Upton ended their attack.

AUS 28

SAM 0

The Jillaroos have the first use of the footy as the second half begins.

Just like the first half, referee Kasey Badger has blown an early penalty, this time for Australia.

The Jillaroos then make a hash of their set, dropping the ball at halfway.

— reporting by AAP

Samoa have opened their World Cup campaign by crushing France in a 78-4 win that gives an early boost to the Pacific nation's hopes of reaching the knockout stages.

In a 14-try-to-one victory in which centre Stephen Crichton kicked 11 goals and Melbourne flyer Sua Fa'alogo crossed four times, the Samoans barely worked up a sweat at Western Sydney Stadium in Sydney on Friday.

Taking on a French side mostly made up of Super League players, the star-studded Samoan team raced out to a 28-0 lead inside 20 minutes.

The only blemish for coach Ben Gardiner was the sight of Brisbane winger Deine Mariner going off in the first half with a suspected injury.

And while they had lapses of discipline and concentration with the result sewn up — France scored their sole try through winger Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet — the heavy win will increase Samoa's points differential and their hopes of making it to the semi-finals.

One of Samoa, England or Tonga will miss the knockout stages as a result of the new tournament format, in which the top two teams from across group B and group C make it to the last four.

Samoa face Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby next week before concluding their pool games in an all-Pacific match-up for the ages against the Tongans.

The Kumuls on home soil and Tonga in Sydney will provide a much sterner test than the French, who were left for dead in a blistering opening quarter.

Mariner scored the opening try for the Toa in the third minute soon after his father Lapi had sung the country's national anthem that brought stars including Jarome Luai and Spencer Leniu to tears.

Benaiah Ioelu, Jermaine McEwen, Fa'alogo, and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow all crossed in the next 15 minutes as the French defence was cut to shreds.

Aispuro-Bichet briefly stemmed the bleeding before Fa'alogo went in again just before halftime to make it 34-4 at the break.

The French had little resistance in the second period, with Fa'alogo adding two more while Crichton, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Shawn Blore, Izack Tago, Francis Molo and Ioelu all went over.

Samoa started this match brightly and had the best of the opening 10 minutes.

But the women in blue couldn't score, and Australia then turned the screws.

The Jillaroos ran in five tries to take a big lead at half-time.

Australia has finished with style.

Olivia Kernick has scored under the posts, after Jocelyn Kelleher sliced through the defensive line.

It came off the back of another penalty against Samoa. The Samoans have conceded the last 5 penalties.

Jocelyn Kelleher converts from in front.

AUS 28

SAM 0

Wonderful from Keeley Nizza.

The interchange hooker took a run from dummy half, and she weaved her way through the Samoan defence, beating three defenders to score.

Jocelyn Kelleher converts.

AUS 22

SAM 0

The Jillaroos are really starting to flex their muscles.

Attacking the goal-line again, Australia shifted to the left and the ball got to backrower Shaylee Bent.

It was a two-on-two, but Bent beat her defender on the outside and crossed the chalk.

AUS 16

SAM 0

The Jillaroos are starting to assert themselves in this world cup match.

Samoa's discipline is hurting them, with penalties gifting Australia easy metres and putting them in attack.

Right winger Julia Robinson gets the ball on the wing, then steps back inside and muscles over the goal-line.

It is Robinson's 23rd try in just her 14th Test.

Jocelyn Kelleher converts from near the right touchline.

AUS 12

SAM 0

Despite the early dominance by Samoa, it is Australia that scores first.

The Jillaroos earned a penalty 15 metres from the Samoan goal line.

The Jillaroos tap and go for the try. A nice shift to the left has Jaime Chapman open, and she scores in the corner.

Jocelyn Kelleher converts from the left touchline.

AUS 6

SAM 0

Australia is under pressure, defending its goal line.

Samoa receive two penalties in goal-kicking range, but they turn down the opportunities in search of a try.

But there is a drop by fullback Destiny Mino-Sinapati with space to the left.

It is Samoa that has the first use of the ball tonight, and they have an early penalty.

There was a strip in the tackle, I think, against Millie Elliott.

Samoa then marched down the field and put up an attacking kick to the Australian goal-line.

The Jillaroos catch the kick and now have their first use of the footy.

You can listen to tonight's Rugby League World Cup opener between Australia and New Zealand on the ABC.

Tap the link below to join Andrew Moore, Ruan Sims and Jada Taylor on the sideline.

Referee: Kasey Badger

Touch Judge: Karra-Lee Nolan

Touch Judge: Izzy Davidson

Senior Review Official: Peter Gough

Samoa has scored their highest-ever tally in a Test match, thrashing France 78-4.

Everything went Samoa's way, including a freakish try after the full-time siren.

Stephen Crichton attempted a penalty goal but the ball hit the post, fell back in the field of play, and was collected by Benaiah Ioelu for the try.