Aussie cricketer David Warner trolls Lionesses before World Cup clash
And so the World Cup sledging begins! Aussie cricketer David Warner leads jibes at Lionesses ahead of England’s semi-final playoff against the Matildas – as the country’s press relish in the idea of ‘triple heartache for the Poms’
- England and Australia will clash in the Women’s World Cup semi-finals tomorrow
Cricketer David Warner is leading the charge of Aussies trying to get under the skins of England’s Lionesses ahead of their World Cup semi-final clash against Australia.
With less than 24 hours to go until the grudge match, the sledging between Australians and the English has already begun, with Ashes opener Warner today trolling the Lionesses online.
It comes as the country’s press have relished the idea of a ‘triple heartache for the Poms’ following disappointment against Australia in both the women’s netball world cup and the Ashes series.
‘An early good luck to the @TheMatildas,’ Warner tweeted to his 2.7 million followers on Tuesday. ‘Just keep an eye out in case the Poms ask to change the ball.’
The comment was a cheeky jibe referring to the conclusion of the latest Ashes tour, which saw England holding the visitors to a draw in the fifth and final test.
Australian cricketer David Warner led the World Cup sledging as he appeared to troll the English side in a post on Twitter
But the Lionesses stand between Australia and a place in the World Cup final on home soil
The winner of Wednesday’s match will play Spain in the finals (pictured are the Australians celebrating their quarter-final win over France on Saturday)
England bagged the victory, tying the series, after a ball change appeared to give them the edge against the tourists, who had been playing well up until then – prompting complaints from Australian fans.
Warner wasn’t the only one from this year’s Australian Ashes side to have a dig at the Lionesses – Aussie captain Pat Cummins also gloated about how there was nothing better than thrashing the ‘Old Enemy’ England.
READ MORE: Let the mind games begin! Australia coach Tony Gustavsson insists the pressure is all on ‘massive favourites’ England in their Women’s World Cup semi-final tomorrow
Throwing his weight behind the Matildas, the 30-year-old sports star told the Sydney Morning Herald: ‘There’s nothing more satisfying as an Aussie than getting one up on our English mates. I’m sure the Matildas will go out and kill it.’
Other Australians have taken to social media to troll England, with one person saying: ‘These Poms don’t stand a chance’ and another adding: ‘If we beat England next week, I think the Poms ought cremate a football and start a new #ashes for us to always win.’
The winner of Wednesday’s match will play Spain in the final of the World Cup on Sunday at 11am, after they beat Sweden 2-1 in Tuesday’s semi-final.
And with Australia gripped by ‘Matilda Mania’ ahead of Wednesday’s match against England, the country’s newspapers have been rallying behind their national side.
‘Now for the Poms’ shouts the headline on The Daily Telegraph, which temporarily changed its masthead to The Daily Tillygraph in a nod to Tony Gustavsson’s team.
In his column, Robert Craddock urges the Matildas to complete a stunning hat-trick for Australian sport by getting one over the England for the third time in just over a month.
The Herald Sun notes Australia has been gripped by ‘Matilda Mania’ at the World Cup
The Daily Telegraph urges Australia to get one over England in the World Cup semi-final
‘Anyone for a triple treat?,’ he writes, seemingly forgetting that while Australia beat England in the Netball World Cup final both the men’s and women’s Ashes series were drawn.
READ MORE: Spain 2-1 Sweden: Olga Carmona puts La Roja into the World Cup final after dramatic finish with Rebecka Blomqvist cancelling out super sub Salma Paralluelo’s opener – with Australia or England next for Spain
‘There’s only one thing better than beating England in cricket – that’s beating them in soccer … er, sorry, football.’
Craddock said England ‘dwarfs’ Australia in terms of resources and that the Matildas reaching the Women’s World Cup final for the first time would be an incredible achievement.
‘England have a prosperous FA Women’s Premier League and six divisions below it which makes Australia’s A League positively chicken nugget sized by comparison to England’s big feast,’ he added.
‘The English don’t just play soccer. They ARE soccer. Or at least a huge part of it.
‘And yet, when they stand toe to toe against Australia there is a distinct feeling that, for all their heritage, there is a distinct feeling there will be no discernible gap between them.’
Over on The Australian, the tone is slightly more subdued as Will Swanton notes football has never before featured in the rich tapestry that is the rivalry between Australia and England.
The sporting feud between the two countries has normally dominated the cricket and rugby pitches, with netball courts more recently thrown in. Now the beautiful game can be added to the list.
Australia reached their first ever World Cup semi-final after beating France on penalties
England will be playing against Australia in Wednesday’s semi-final as they seek to reach Sunday’s final against Spain (pictured: Lionesses play Nigeria in their quarter-final clash)
‘Australia versus England,’ he writes. ‘Football has never really been part of the rivalry because we were like the kid saying to a neighbour of a niche sport, ‘I don’t really play’. We do now. It’s a familiar opponent in an unfamiliar sport.’
Australia’s quarter-final win against France was reportedly the most-watched event in Australia in almost two decades and huge crowds welcomed the Matildas in Sydney.
The Australian side, meanwhile, have downplayed the old rivalry between with England, insisted Wednesday’s match is ‘just another game’.
But Matilda keeper Mackenzie Arnold appear to flare up when asked by an English journalist this week if it was ‘unthinkable’ the Lionesses would knock out the Australians out in their home tournament.
The 29-year-old – who made three stunning saves in Australia’s penalty shoot-out with France to bag a place in the semi-finals, said: ‘Being knocked out by anyone is kind of unthinkable.
‘There’s probably a lot of English people that would love to see us knocked out by England but I think there’s more Australians that would love to see England knocked out by us.’
England vs Australia kicks-off at 11am UK time on Wednesday.
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