New Zealand could simply not get into the Rugby League World Cup final and ended the tournament on a very disappointing note.
For all the hype about it being the Kiwis best team ever, the damaging attacking players they have in their squad and the impressive form the side showed early in the World Cup, they never really fired a shot of anger at the Australians at Old Trafford.
The Kangaroos were brilliant and put on a masterclass of rugby league. It wasn’t just some of the tries they dished up, like Brett Morris’ freakish first effort, but the fact they kept their own try-line in tact.
The Kiwis have some real weapons, some power and speed and creative playmakers who can crack a defence. But they just weren’t on song at all in the final.
When you look back the semi-final, where New Zealand just scraped past England, you can say it was back-to-back below par performances for the 2008 Cup holders.
But just why was that the case? This is what Stephen Kearney has to work out.
The Kiwis were flat against Australia and got out of jail against England. At the business end of the tournament they just couldn’t step up.
Star Kiwi five-eighth Kieran Foran couldn’t really put his finger on exactly why the men in black weren’t at their best, apart from crediting the classy Aussies.
Manu Vatuvei was another who wasn’t blaming the brutal battle against England as the reason why New Zealand struggled to get into the final. Vatuvei said the Kiwis prepared well and the Aussies simply outplayed them.
Kiwi captain Simon Mannering doesn’t believe the big occasion got to his team.
“I’m not sure,” Mannering said in the post-match press conference. “I know the guys were up for it, they were excited.”
There’s no denying that losing Roger Tuivasa Sheck early in the game was a big setback.
The Roosters winger had been on fire in the NRL this season and carried his stellar form into the World Cup.
At this tournament only Paul Gallen made more metres than him and he also scored eight tries, just one behind the leading try-scorers Jarryd Hayne and Brett Morris.
But one player does not make a team.
The simple knock ons and mistakes typified a terrible night for the Kiwis.
The New Zealanders need to learn from this experience and use the pain and hurt from losing the World Cup to regroup. They have a young side, a core of young talent that should only get better as they further develop together.
Foran, Tuivasa-Sheck, Whare, Hoffman, Johnson, Bromwich, Luke, Waerea-Hargraves, Matulino, Moa, Locke and Kaisano should be all around in five year’s time to go again.
Australia fielded the oldest team in its history but the Kiwis have a way to go.
Even Kangaroos captain Cameron Smith believes the New Zealanders will be back in a big way, and he is tipping a massive contest in 2014’s ANZAC Test when they next meet.
“They’ve had a wonderful tournament but unfortunately they couldn’t get it done but as we all know there can only be one winner. The thing about the Kiwis is that they’ve got a very young squad, they’ll bounce back, they’re a confident bunch of boys. This will be a fairly big setback for them for a couple of weeks but it’ll make them hungrier next year I can guarantee you that.”
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
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