The black eye on Sika Manu said it all after New Zealand were beaten to a pulp in another World Cup massacre by Australia. It seemed the Haka at the beginning of the match was the only thing capable of striking fear in a Kangaroos line-up that has long had an advantage over its trans-Tasman rivals.
The absence of Rabbitohs’ hooker Issac Luke put the Kiwi’s in an awkward position.
They failed to match the strike power and creativity of an Australian side boasting the three best playmakers in the world – Thurston, Lockyer and Smith.
Despite each of them not playing for the same club at NRL level, the telepathic ability between them demonstrated why Australia will be so damn hard to stop en route to a tenth World Cup crown.
Their slick passing was dominant, and it seemed whenever they got inside the Kiwi twenty metre line, a try was begging to be scored.
Only a few desperate try savers from Roosters winger Sam Perrett stopped the score from rivaling the 58-0 massacre the Kangaroos put on their Kiwi counterparts in Wellington over a year ago.
But despite Perrett’s best efforts (he was probably New Zealand’s finest player), the Kangaroos opened their league World Cup defence in style.
Inglis’ performance on Sunday night should have thrown a massive memo to the Storm selectors – play the kid at centre, not five-eighth.
Israel Folau scored two tries against the Kiwis, thus enhancing former Storm recruitment manager Peter O’Sullivan’s comments, suggesting he is the new Mal Meninga
But of all the ensemble cast for the Kangaroos, Thurston was the main star of the show.
Just like he did in the 2006 Tri-nations final against the Kiwis, Thurston’s ball playing skills were unmatched, only bettered by his ball running ability against a tiring Kiwi defence.
This is what New Zealand lack in their starting seventeen. How they would love to have an array of options at half and five-eighth rivalling their Australian counterparts.
If a side can leave out men like Cooper Cronk and Scott Prince, and still beat the Kiwis by twenty or so points, it’s little wonder why Australia are raging favourites for this tournament.
A couple of moments with South Sydney defending their try-line raised eyebrows with Latrell Mitchell's 'urgency' questioned in a 28-14 loss to the Dragons.
The Dragons extended their lead to two converted tries after Rabbitohs second-rower Keaon Koloamatangi was penalised for verbal dissent.
South Sydney's horror streak shows no sign of abating after a comfortable 28-14 defeat to a resurgent St George Illawarra at Kogarah Oval. One…
There was trouble in the Dragons ranks against South Sydney. Zac Lomax was adamant that St George should've challenged this but his skipper wanted…
Souths star Latrell Mitchell made his return from suspension against the Dragons, even scoring a meat pie in the first half.
Wayne Bennett has backed the Perth bid in what he predicts will be a 20-team NRL competition within a decade, while insisting his looming…
