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Never mind what you might have read throughout the week – that was a highly entertaining Test match and NZ were more than up to the challenge.
They were the better side in the first half and had that half-time lead; in the end, however, Australia’s class shone through with an 18-0 second half performance to get their 16th consecutive win, a record in international footy.
NZ were in it right up until the end but probably lacked a bit of class and execution, particularly with about 10 minutes to go when they had a couple of good chances to equalise but couldn’t capitalise. Australia defended well and struck back with a great long-range try to Cronk, again down that right flank, to put the game out of the Kiwis’ reach.
International rugby league returns for 2014 as Australia take on New Zealand in the trans-Tasman Test. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:45pm AEST.
There’s no way around it – this Test is shaping up as a lopsided affair.
There’s a huge experience gap of 2000 games between these two nations. With the likes of Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Greg Inglis and Paul Gallen on deck, the Kangaroos have 3326 NRL games between them.
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The New Zealanders, meanwhile, have a wealth of players missing through injury or otherwise, with Kieran Foran, Sonny-Bill Williams, Issac Luke and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves just a few of the unavailable names.
In their place the Kiwis have selected six debutants – including Siliva Havili, with only three NRL games to his name, and Isaac John, currently playing NSW Cup – for a total of 1326 NRL games between them.
Upsets have been the order of the year so far in 2014 as NRL teams adapt to new rules that have sped up the game, but with the talent on board for the Green and Golds it’s hard to imagine this going any way other than a comfortable win for the Kangaroos.
But this is international rugby league, and with every man and his dog writing off the Kiwis, pride in the jumper may be enough to lift them to make this a closer contest than expected.
Will the Kangaroos dominate as expected, or can the young Kiwis lift and stick it to their seemingly invincible rivals?
Kangaroos by 30.
Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:45pm AEST.
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