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The Australians have an impressive record of having never not contested an international rugby league tournament finals match since the 1954 World Cup.
Since that event, there have been 17 international rugby league tournaments featuring a final. Those seventeen finals include nine World Cups, four Three Nations and four Four Nations matches.
Australia have contested all of those finals, winning thirteen of them while New Zealand have won the remaining four.
However, the timing of New Zealand’s wins becomes an interesting statistic when you take 1995 as the starting point. This was the year that the Warriors from New Zealand were admitted into the Australian professional competition.
Of the twelve finals matches played since then, New Zealand have contested eight of them, winning four. An extra time loss in the 1995 World Cup semi-final prevented a ninth finals appearance. Prior to that event, New Zealand had only ever contested one international finals match, a World Cup, and that was in 1988.
Fast forward a few years and the statistics become even more interesting. Since 2005 New Zealand have contested six from eight international finals matches, winning four of them. One of their two losses came in extra time. In fact, barring last year’s World Cup, every second tournament has seen a New Zealand victory.
So why is there no love for the Kiwis?
Is it because they get thumped in one-off Test matches whose staging is recognised by many as placing them at a disadvantage against Australia? If you haven’t yet noticed, the Kiwis have thumped the Kangaroos a few times over the years too.
When Australia get soundly defeated, the Kangaroos are treated with the respect they deserve and their losses are considered slip ups. For some reason, New Zealand losses are rarely aberrations but somehow considered reflection of their potential.
Is it because the last time New Zealand defeated Australia in back-to-back Tests was in the early 1950s? Yes, the past is great, except when it gets in the way of now.
Remember, the last time New Zealand defeated the Australians was in 2014. The last decade has shown that Australia and New Zealand are rugby league equals.
Perhaps it is about time New Zealand are given the respect that they deserve.
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