- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The Kangaroos recorded a convincing win in the golden west, securing a 20-point victory over New Zealand.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Australia Kangaroos 26
New Zealand Kiwis 6
International rugby league is back as the Kangaroos and Kiwis visit Perth for the annual Trans-Tasman Test. Can Australia edge closer to regaining their No.1 ranking or will New Zealand defeat their neighbours for the fourth time in their last five outings? Join The Roar from 7:50pm (AEDT) for live coverage.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has named three debutants with Shannon Boyd, Valentine Holmes and Tyson Frizell representing their country for the first time.
It comes as Meninga looks to the next generation with a number of stars set to retire in the coming years.
Nine players named in Meninga’s side have less than five caps while three have made over 30 appearances in the green and gold.
The Queensland spine of Darius Boyd, Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith will provide the core of the team with 123 games between them.
Meninga will be looking for his forward pack to perform off the back of the experienced spine with Shannon Boyd named to partner Matthew Scott up front in a bid to provide new life and plenty of firepower to the Kangaroos side while he is sure to get plenty of minutes out of a young back row consisting of Boyd Cordner, Matt Gillett and Trent Merrin.
Meninga has already worked with a host of players over the off-season with six players having featured in the PM’s XIII’s thrashing of Papua New Guinea 58-0 in Port Moresby.
Ranked No.1 in the world, New Zealand have signalled a number of large changes to continue their dominance.
David Kidwell will coach his first game having represented his nation on 25 occasions between 1999 and 2008.
Kidwell has also named a number of young stars to make their debuts with Jordan Rapana, Solomone Kata and Joseph Tapine slated for their first test caps.
The Kiwis will be with veteran of 41 appearances Simon Mannering who has been ruled out with a knee injury.
It leaves Kidwell with three players at his disposal having played over 30 games – Issac Luke, Adam Blair and Thomas Leuluai. The trio will be joined by Jason Nightingale after the full-time siren, the Dragons winger currently sitting on 29.
Leuluai and Shaun Johnson will have a big task in the halves, being asked to steer the ship for New Zealand while Jesse Bromwich and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves are required to lead up front, the duo needing to make big metres up the middle and capitalise on the Kangaroos’ comparatively slow forwards.
131 meetings have become the two bitter rivals since the All Golds first toured Australia in 1908.
Since then, Australia have dominated encounters with 96 wins to the Kiwis’ 32 while three matches have been drawn.
Until this year’s Anzac Test when the Kangaroos triumphed 16-0 in Newcastle, the Kiwis have dominated proceedings winning three matches in a row including the 2014 Four Nations final.
The Trans-Tasman Test has never been played in Perth before, making it uncharted territory for both outfits.
Prediction
The Kangaroos will retain bragging rights over New Zealand with a hard-fought win.
Australia by 4.
Join The Roar from 7:50pm (AEDT) for live score updates and debate in our live blog.
You can find Riley on Twitter @rileypettigrew.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.