New Zealand has surprised Australia’s Kangaroos 30-0 within the ultimate of the Pacific Championships, incomes revenge for final yr’s World Cup semi-final defeat in a one-sided affair at Waikato Stadium.
It was New Zealand’s first win over Australia in 4 makes an attempt and only a second in ten matches. More than that – it was Australia’s heaviest-ever worldwide loss.
Coming only one week after an 18 level win to the Kangaroos in Melbourne, the rematch couldn’t have been extra emphatic.
New Zealand scored two tries within the first half earlier than working away with it within the second, all whereas conserving Australia scoreless in a relentless show.
From the primary second, the Kiwis performed with aggression and urgency, attacking with creativity and incisiveness and defending with energy and self-discipline.
The New Zealand ahead line battered the Australians whereas halves duo Dylan Brown and Jahrome Hughes had been excellent, the latter notably efficient – taking up the road, delivering good passes, and kicking properly. The pair mixed for 11 sort out busts on their 14 runs.
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New Zealand had been closely criticised for his or her backline play in final week’s defeat, with widespread requires centre Joey Manu to be moved to fullback rather than Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.
But coach Michael Maguire caught along with his similar 17 and was rewarded with an distinctive efficiency from his fullback – named participant of the match after 212 run metres, 4 offloads and a attempt help – and wingers Jamayne Isaako and Ronaldo Mulitalo.
Mulitalo opened the scoring and placed on a monster shot on Australia’s Valentine Holmes in a chic first-half efficiency, whereas Isaako scored twice both aspect of halftime, kicking 4 of 5 conversions and a penalty as well.
Matthew Timoko and bench ahead Griffin Neame rounded out the scoring with tries within the ultimate 20 minutes.
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“This has been a flogging,” Steve Roach stated in commentary, after Andrew Voss labelled it a “thrashing.”
“It’s an embarrassing result for Australian rugby league,” Greg Alexander stated at full time.
Ten New Zealand gamers racked up greater than 100 run metres in contrast with simply two Australians, whereas the Kangaroos had a staggering 47 missed tackles in complete (NZ had 23).
New Zealand completed with 9 line breaks to at least one and 14 offloads to a few.
NZ captain James Fisher-Harris stated: “They gave us a hiding last week. We learned from it… this is our moment.”
“It’s our time,” he declared.
Australia captain James Tedesco stated: “You boys played out of your skin tonight – just killed it… We just got outplayed by a better side today.”
MATCH CENTRE: New Zealand vs Australia scores, stats, updates
Mulitalo’s MONSTER 1st half sinks Roos | 00:45
AS IT HAPPENED
In a fired-up begin to the competition, the massive hits got here in thick and quick – however so did the errors, with either side coughing up possession repeatedly within the opening ten minutes.
Having struggled early on final week, New Zealand this time started in a lot better style, attacking with creativity and offloading at each alternative.
Twice they surged into the Australian 20 with out managing to attain.
The second event – ten minutes in – James Fisher-Harris tried a kick on the third sort out. It was really a depressing kick and with no chasers on the shock tried kick, Australia simply gained possession.
Steve Roach stated in commentary: “I think he’ll get the NKA – ‘never kick again’. That was terrible!”
But New Zealand’s weight of possession and aggressive begin lastly paid off within the fifteenth minute when Ronaldo Mulitalo crossed the road within the left nook.
Mulitalo had made an excellent break earlier within the set however was wrapped up properly by Australia fullback James Tedesco. The ball was sprayed out to the appropriate flank, however a few tackles later it got here again to the left aspect with an extended cross from Dylan Brown to Mulitalo.
It was Mulitalo’s eighth attempt in his seventh worldwide Test, and the conversion from Jamayne Isaako made it 6-0.
Australia’s assault was taking part in ‘within itself’, Roach stated, with New Zealand racking up 4 offloads and three line-breaks within the first 25 minutes – whereas Australia had zero in both class.
“There’s been no momentum through the ruck for the Aussies,” Roach stated in commentary, praising New Zealand’s line velocity in defence that continually stifled the Australian assault.
New Zealand’s workrate and depth on either side of the ball was epitomised by an enormous sort out from tryscorer Mulitalo on Valentine Holmes near the New Zealand tryline.
Holmes raced down the flank and appeared for a dummy inside, however Mulitalo lined him up and despatched him sprawling onto the grass.
Roach roared: “It was some sort of shot!
“That’s a beauty, that’s a pearler!”
Voss stated: “If you stop the match now, he’s got the player of the match trophy! He’s making big tackles, catching kicks, scoring tries, making breaks!”
Jahrome Hughes was growing in affect, troubling Australia along with his slick link-ups and quick kicking sport.
And with 5 minutes left within the half, he orchestrated a well-executed backline transfer, discovering Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad who instantly handed to Jamayne Isaako to dive over within the nook.
Isaako nailed the sideline conversion to make it 12-0.
Roach stated: “The Australians have barely looked like scoring … haven’t thrown much at them.”
It was simply the second time in eight years that NZ had led at halftime over the Kangaroos.
And Australia’s frustrations practically boiled over on the break because the groups walked off, with loads of push-and-shove between the rivals.
Andrew Voss declared the Kiwis had been “relentless” within the first half, whereas Cooper Cronk stated NZ had been “absolutely dominating”.
The halftime stats had been damning: New Zealand had 5 linebreaks to at least one, 9 offloads to 2, and with 20 fewer missed tackles (34-12)!
“I thought it was a typo,” injured Kiwi star Brandon Smith stated of Australia’s 34 missed tackles.
Leo Thompson was unbelievable off the bench for New Zealand, with 9 runs for 81 metres together with a sort out bust. That was extra run metres than any Australian starter.
New Zealand’s good type carried into the second stanza as they prolonged their lead within the forty seventh.
On the again of an Australian knock-on within the Kangaroos’ half, the Kiwis surged from the scrum and made it three tries.
Hughes took on the road and flicked a cross to Isaako, who scored his second of the sport with a surprising dive to get the ball simply millimetres contained in the chalk beneath strain from Munster.
He simply missed the conversion, however the 16-0 lead was well-deserved.
Roach roared: “What about the money pass from Hughes, he’s having a blinder!”
And New Zealand nearly put the sport to mattress with 20 minutes to play with a fourth unanswered attempt.
Hughes and Brown mixed on the left aspect, with the latter exhibiting mushy fingers to feed Matt Timoko, the 23-year-old Canberra Raiders rising star rewarded for a hardworking efficiency with a maiden worldwide attempt.
Isaako stored up his sturdy kicking sport with a medical penalty from vary.
Then bench ahead Griffin Neame burst by the Australian defence to attain beneath the posts within the 71st minute, with Isaako changing to make it a whopping 30-0.
TEAMS
Australia
1. James Tedesco 2. Dylan Edwards 3. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 4. Kotoni Staggs 5. Valentine Holmes 6. Cameron Munster 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Payne Haas 9. Ben Hunt 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 17. Reuben Cotter 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Harry Grant 15. Lindsay Collins 16. Patrick Carrigan 18. Nicho Hynes
Reserve: 19. Thomas Flegler
There was a late change for Australia, with final week’s tryscorer Cameron Murray dominated out on sport day resulting from tendinitis.
Meninga stated the harm was on the “top of his hamstring”.
“He’s been carrying that injury all year, he’s been playing with it,” he stated, including that Wednesday’s session noticed Murray’s harm flare up once more.
18th man Nicho Hynes joined the interchange bench, whereas Reuben Cotter – who was set to begin on the bench – obtained a reprieve and began.
Pat Carrigan recovered from a cork that noticed him miss Wednesday coaching and began, with Thomas Flegler changing into the brand new 18th man.
New Zealand
1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Ronaldo Mulitalo 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Joseph Manu 5. Jamayne Isaako 6. Dylan Brown 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. James Fisher-Harris 9. Kieran Foran 10. Moses Leota 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. Briton Nikora 13. Joseph Tapine 14. Fa’amanu Brown 15. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 16. Griffin Neame 17. Leo Thompson
Reserve: 18. Naufahu Whyte
New Zealand named an unchanged 17 from final week – with Joey Manu remaining within the centres regardless of calls to maneuver him to fullback.
Source: www.foxsports.com.au