Australia fend off New Zealand to get into the RLWC Final

Australia played its way into next week’s Rugby League World Cup final at Old Trafford and in the process settled a 17-year-old score with New Zealand following an epic 16-14 semi-final victory early this morning.

The last time the two countries stepped onto the famous Elland Road ground, the Kiwis humiliated the Kangaroos 24-0 in the 2005 Tri-Nations final in one of the biggest upsets of the modern era.

For a long time in the Elland Road re-match, the Kiwis threatened another huge upset, scoring the opening try and leading 14-10 at halftime.

With their big forwards playing the power game the Kiwis built their half-time lead off some expansive football and 13 off-loads which had the Kangaroos defending desperately at stages.

Emotions were high for both teams with the playing of the Last Post, a minute’s silence for Remembrance Day and stirring renditions of both country’s national anthems.

The Kiwis performed their traditional Haka and marched into the faces of the Australian players before Kangaroo hooker and his former Storm teammate Brandon Smith broke the tension briefly by embracing.

New Zealand opened the scoring when Dylan Brown put up a cross-field bomb which fullback Joey Manu climbed above the Australian defence to deliver a pass for halfback Jahrome Hughes to score a converted try in the 10th minute.

Australia’s reply was swift and brilliant.

Hooker Ben Hunt kicked into the left corner for his flying winger Josh Addo-Carr who took the ball at full pace to cross for his 12th try of the tournament.

Addo-Carr joined teammate Val Holmes as Australia’s leading World Cup try-scorer but only briefly as Holmes grabbed try number 13 in the 29th minute to reclaim bragging rights.

Australia took the lead back 16-14 when the Kiwis were penalised for laying in the ruck 12 minutes after the break.

A quick-thinking Nathan Cleary tap had Cam Murray bursting onto the ball catching the middle defence asleep for a soft try.

It turned out to be the crucial play of the game.

The clash remained in the balance though until the final seconds as the Kangaroos clung to their narrow two-point lead as desperate Kiwis threw everything they could at them.

It was left up to Latrell Mitchell to snuff out the Kiwi’s last roll of the dice, defusing a bomb from Hughes with an AFL-like mark close to his try line.

This was a game where the old adage “rugby league was the winner” was never more appropriate, but there can only be one winner and for the Kiwis, it ended in heartbreak.

Bustling forward Liam Martin was named Man-of-the-match providing some big hits which resulted in the Kiwis turning over the ball.

“I was buggered but the boys just dragged me along,” said an exhausted Martin.

“Our middle (forwards) did an amazing job.”

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga declared Test match football was “back and healthy” after a tough battle.

“Scrambling defence, desperation, commitment, they were all on show tonight, I hope it was a great advertisement for rugby league.”

Meninga said he was leaning towards England to play its way into the final tomorrow against Samoa, but warned whoever Australia played: “we can play better, that’s for sure”.

A gutted Kiwi coach Michael Maguire shed a tear after the game after coming so close to making the World Cup final.

“There’s a fair bit of emotions,’ said a struggling Maguire.

“Moments in the game….

“The game that was there. It came down to a bounce of the ball.. we’ve just got to keep pushing forward.

“I’m proud of my players. We didn’t get the result we wanted but we’ve closed the gap.”

More sports news