- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
When Mal Meninga took over from Tim Sheens as Kangaroos coach earlier in the year, he made it crystal clear he wanted to raise the culture and standing of the Australian jumper over Origin.
Rugby league is the only sport in Australia where the national team status is lower than interstate competition.
Re-live the Kangaroos defeating the Kiwis here with The Roar’s live blog.
Having coached Queensland to a record nine Origin series successes in a decade, the Kangaroos had not only lost their last three internationals to the Kiwis, but the Four-Nations tournament, and the world number one ranking.
There was a lot of catching up to do, and so far it’s working a treat.
Last May, the Kangaroos beat the Kiwis 16-0 in Newcastle in the Anzac Test, and last night in Perth, in front of a ground record 20,283, the Kangaroos again beat their old rivals 26-6 in the lead-up to the Four Nations.
What made last night even more impressive? Greg Inglis only had one training run having stayed in Sydney for the birth of his second child, and both Aaron Woods and Josh Mansour missed the Test altogether to be married (in separate ceremonies) in Sydney.
The lack of preparation didn’t bother Inglis who scored two tries in a man of the match performance, while Valentine Holmes and behemoth Shannon Boyd both made very impressive debuts replacing Mansour, and Woods.
So what makes Mal Meninga tick?
I’m undecided if mighty Mal is a freakish coach, or a top of the shelf motivator. (Click to Tweet)Maybe it’s a bit of both.
Whatever the answer, it’s a winning formula.
One thing for sure, he has four of the best rugby league footballers in the world to work with – skipper Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Inglis, and Cooper Cronk, for a stand-up start.
Smith last night was his normal cool, calm, and collected self as the perfect general in his 45th Test, especially when the Kangaroos were under the pump for most of the first half, being hammered on their own line.
Thurston was contained, but must have thought there were 26 Kiwis on the field. Every time he touched the ball, he was hit with the kitchen sink, yet survived, while Cronk had a surprisingly quiet game by his lofty standards.
Of the other Kangaroos, Boyd Cordner and Darius Boyd deserve special mention.
Cordner overcame a severe head gash to play a blinder. He was tireless in both attack and defence, while Boyd is the Kangaroos good luck charm
Last night was his 19th Test, and he’s never been in a losing Kangaroo side, capping his 80-minute performance with a try.
The Kiwis had plenty of chances to win, but lacked creativity – they kicked when they should have passed, passed when a kick was the right option, and often lost possession when tackled.
But Martin Taupau was the Kiwi exception.
He threw his 190 cm, 112 kg frame into the Kangaroos, made a handful of busts, and one tackle on Matt Gillett shook my bones watching on television – it was awesome.
But the best team won, and must be installed as favoured to regain the Four Nations crown.
Mal Meninga will do the rest.