Australia women's national team defeated 7-0 by Newcastle Jets

The Australian Women's national football team were humbled 7-0 by a group of under-16 boys representing the Newcastle Jets on Wednesday.

With the Aussies gunning for gold in the Rio Olympics, the defeat comes as a shocker especially since they are the fifth ranked team in the world according to FIFA's women's team rankings. The women's team, affectionately known as the Matildas, are often forced to play against boys' teams because of the lack of quality female opposition in their country.

The loss at the hands of the newly-pubescent boys left many in Australia bewildered, but assistant coach Gary van Egmond had answers for the stunning result.

"To be honest, we didn't expect that," he told Huffington Post Australia.

"The Jets boys were very good, all credit to them. They moved the ball around very well and were excellent on the night."

The last time the Matildas played a team of 15- and 16-year-old boys, they drew 2-2. On Wednesday night, van Egmond said the team was short of match practice.

"I think there were a couple of contributing factors to the loss. At this stage in their preparation, obviously the Matildas are not in a position to play regular games so I'd suggest all and sundry were a little bit rusty.

"We could have had an easier game, but we definitely want to keep testing the girls."

Van Egmond also had strong words for those who would question the strength of women's football on the basis of this result.

"It all relative," he said. "It's no different from [the sort of result you'd expect] from a female tennis player or a female swimmer against a 15- or 16-year-old boy who's maturing and starting to develop physically."

"They have to be looked upon as two separate entities."