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The Kiwi’s produced one of the world’s great sporting upsets to defeat the might of the Kangaroos on Rugby leagues holy land in Brisbane.
To produce a 14 point victory over a team like Australia ever is a remarkable achievement. To defeat the Kangaroo’s in their own backyard on the esteemed turf of Lang Park is another. To do it in a Rugby League World Cup final is nothing other than special.
If you had shopped around yesterday before kickoff – you would have received a minimum of 5/1 odds for New Zealand. Some agencies were paying as high as 9/1. There were unconfirmed reports on punters placing up to $100,000 bets for Australia who were paying as “high” as 1.18.
Australia had won sixteen and drawn one of their last 20 games against New Zealand, were on a eight match winning streak against the kiwi’s – and had never lost to New Zealand in a World Cup game in thirteen matches. They had won their last thirteen matches at Lang Park, with their recent matches yielding an average winning margin of 26 points.
In their last game Australia had won 30-6 in a canter. They had close to 60% possession, made over 50% more running metres – and executed 7 line breaks to New Zealand’s 1. To be harsh, there was nothing in the New Zealand arsenal or game plan to suggest they could even match the Kangaroo’s. And, maybe with the exception of winger Manu Vatuvei, man for man the Australian team was far superior in every facet to their kiwi opposition.
But, courtesy of a remarkable 34-20 result – New Zealand will now be Rugby League World Champions until at least 2013.
Going into the final Australia were nine time champions and had won the last six World Cup crowns consecutively. It is the first time New Zealand has ever won the Rugby League World Cup.
Showing again that World Cup tournaments are not always won by the finest team in the world – the biggest difference in the sides was the build up throughout the tournament.
New Zealand has assembled as a team well before the World Cup commenced, and played two warm up games before losing their opening game to Australia. They then pummelled the Kumul’s before playing a confrontational England twice. In the first game they had to come back to win the game, and in the second had to hold on against a fast finishing English tea.
Remember as well that this year New Zealand lost Sonny Bill Williams, and before the Cup lost captain Roy Asotasi as well as first choice players Brent Webb, Frank Pritchard and Jeff Lima.
In comparison, the Kangaroo’s played no build up games and in the tournament proper their smallest win was their 24 point win over New Zealand. They then dished out three near half century score lines, their last game before the final a 52-0 demolition against Fiji. Many were remarking, including New Zealand assistant coach Wayne Bennett, that this was the greatest Kangaroo’s team ever seen.
But, as the All Blacks have learned, the difference between a very good team and a great team is the ability to win a World Cup – something the Australian League class of 2008 will now have to wear.
The confrontation started with the Kangaroo’s looking to intimidate their underdog opposition from the onset, with the Australian team standing nose to nose with the Kiwi’s while they performed their pre match haka.
After just minutes it seemed as if the script would go to plan, with Billy Slater setting up Darren Lockyer to score the opening points. Later young winger David Williams scored to have Australia cruising at 10-0.
Only a knock on to Captain Lockyer prevented the Australians opening the scoring floodgates.
However, despite a second try from Lockyer just five minutes from half time – earlier tries to Jeremy Smith and Jerome Ropati kept the New Zealander’s in the game at half time only 16-12. However, despite only holding a four point lead, there was enough composure and class in the Australians performance for it only to be “a matter of time”.
A fine try by Lance Hohaia had New Zealand in front, before Slater underwent a brain explosion which effectively gave the Kiwi’s the momentum in which they would not let go – throwing the mother of all speculative passes to gift Benji Marshall with a try that made it 22-16 with just under a quarter to play.
Ironic that less than a week ago Slater was awarded the “best player of the world award”.
The game was sealed with a late double; and despite one of the tries being a contentious penalty try, there was no denying the second half dominance – courtesy of a 22-4 second forty to New Zealand.
Essentially, the Kiwi’s came out hard in the second half and upset the class and control of the vaunted Australian team and will now carry the plaudits of this victory for many years to come.
Before the game, most of the Australians including Xoach Ricky Stuart had claimed that New Zealand would be difficult to beat, had improved, had better build up and so on. What I had thought was diplomatic banter proved to be true to the mark, in a result that not only is an upset, but an accentuation of credibility on what has now proved to be an amazing tournament – if you’re a Kiwi!
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