The Kiwis have caused a massive boilover, stunning the fast-finishing Kangaroos 26-24 at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday night.
Australia lost Luke Keary early in the first half (concussion) and new halves partners Daly Cherry-Evans and Ben Hunt failed to take control as the New Zealanders held on for a tight victory.
Despite having almost 70% of the ball in the first half, the Kiwis found themselves trailing 12-8 at the break after struggling to break through Australia’s resilient defence.
It didn’t even look like a contest in the opening stages after the Kangaroos broke through for a far too simple try in the third minute to Valentine Holmes.
Yet seven first-half errors gifted New Zealand 27 play the balls in Australia’s 20-metre zone. Despite their sloppiness with the ball in hand, the Kangaroos continued to stand up in defence and turn Michael Maguire’s men away.
Ken Maumalo soared over in the 18th minute and claimed what would have been an incredible aerial effort, only for the Bunker to rule that he grounded the ball on the line.
The Kiwis eventually capitalised in the 26th minute when Maumalo went over off the back of a brilliant tunnel ball from Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.
Soon after Joseph Manu stormed over out wide and extended his side’s lead to two points.
In his first game as skipper, Watene-Zelezniak was highly impressive and looked to have claimed a try of his own in the 38th minute when he stormed onto a Manu kick.
Yet the Bunker would deny the fullback after it was ruled that Manu fumbled the ball in the lead-up to the try.
And it would prove costly after the Kangaroos raced away to score off the following set when Tom Trbojevic sprinted down the right touchline and linked back inside with Dane Gagai.
The Kiwis didn’t roll over though and forced their way back into the contest in the 53rd minute when Brandon Smith barged over out of dummy-half.
And they extended their lead eight minutes later when Esan Marsters crossed over after a side-stepping Shaun Johnson created an overlap on the left edge.
Saturday night’s game was a changing of the guard for both sides, with Australia looking to claim victory without recently retired representative players Billy Slater, Jonathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith.
The Kiwis were also without Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Issac Luke, alongside Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Simon Mannering.
But it appeared as if the home side were handling the change better, pretty much sealing the victory in the 67th minute after Jordan Rapana dived over in the corner.
Two late tries to Felise Kaufusi and James Tedesco saw the New Zealand faithful dealt a grandstand finish, but the Kiwis would hang on in the end to claim a 26-24 upset victory.
Republican
Guest
.......NZ would never foster Australia in this respect, i.e. include us in their NPC because they covet the game that for decades has derived them so much national identity. I guess this could be viewed as a positive altruistic Aussie trait compared to NZ.......
UKRL
Roar Rookie
You can see it upsets cliper that Rugby League is so much more successful than AFL in NZ and around the world. Head in the sand as usual living in the all code city of Melbourne.
UKRL
Roar Rookie
AFL has no hope in New Zealand clipper. Are you delusional? AFL cancelled exhibition matches early in NZ due to such poor support. AFL will only ever be liked in Australia and nowhere else. Rugby League does have a decent following in New Zealand. They have been the number one Rugby League team in the world with their own NRL team too. Where do you think all these Islanders in the NRL are from? By the way Australia vs Tonga is a sellout in NZ. Boom.
Jacko
Guest
Matt I guess its the same reasons they failed to see the ball touch the grass in the try Smith was disallowed and the same reason they saw a knock-on by Manu when no one else including the ref could see it......Im happy to say Smiths try was a bit lucky from what I saw but he suffered the reverse of luck as well in the same match.........
Scotty P
Roar Rookie
Matt, the kiwi commentator called it. FoxSports had NZ commentary in their coverage.
Buster Kearney
Guest
This comment has been removed for breaching The Roar's comments policy.
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
Never said anything even remotely resembling that as you well know. I was laughing at you comparing league to afl in NZ. One is much much larger than the other with its player base, crowds and tv audience. I wonder which one that is clip old boy?
clipper
Roar Rookie
I'm not comparing the two. Both are niche sports in NZ - like basketball, volleyball, squash etc, neither have a professional competitions, unlike Soccer - or are you trying to tell me league is bigger in NZ than Soccer?
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
You are comparing league to afl in New Zealand? Clip at his unbelievable worst!
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
Move on ‘Bernie’. You are a lone voice of ref displeasure!
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
That’s about a dozen posts attacking the ref by you ‘Bernie’. Most amusing!
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
Klein called it a try and he couldn't possibly see it being grounded - amazing...
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
Another rose coloured pair of specs from the southern isle - hows expansion going in the Apple Isle?
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
Yeah but they were hanging on after scoring against the run of play and ideal circumstances for the flow of decisions to go to trailing team . Possession was a whopper to NMZ in first half and perhaps told on the Aussies in the end. Fair minded commentators? apparently missed the OK 5 cheap penalties, the stripped ball , the kick into Cordners legs which was 6 again . All the decisions bar one went to NZ in first half - mightn't have changed the result but gave them a good leg up. Roy masters and warren Ryan and Malcolm Knox have written about close games orchestrated by the "conductors"
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
BTW Nathan merrett was the leading try scorer in NRL but after much barracking was put in SOO where he was out of his depth...
Bernie Vinson
Roar Rookie
Crosscoder A cogent piece of sense - well done
clipper
Roar Rookie
That's a very sensible reply - people don't realise how much Soccer is followed in NZ - just a pity they don't compete with Australia in the WC anymore. I think the AFL would be keen to get more schools to play, but like league it is very much a minority sport there. As you say, it's just not feasible to concentrate on every sport available.
Scotty P
Roar Rookie
That's true, Nerval. However, NZ would be lucky to have 10% of the registered players that Australia has in League (the last count was 22,000) while the registered players in Union are roughly the same in both countries.
Johnny Boy
Guest
Sorry Nerval, but you are asking Rugby schools with a long history and tradition to field League teams, it's not going to happen. One, because we don't have the resources but more importantly we don't have the passion for the sport. It's very much a minor sport in NZ. Soccer is followed a lot more than League in NZ. If you want League to be more exposed at schools, what's stopping others from requesting their sports to be given priority? Why not include AFL, tennis, water polo, badminton, taekwondo, hockey etc? The answer is simple, it's just not feasible. Imagine League schools in Sydney and Brisbane fielding 1st XV rugby teams as well...it rarely happens.
nerval
Guest
"This never transpires in Union, i.e. to say the Wallabies never come within Cooeee of the AB’s." Except, Republican, that the All BLACKS' winning percentage of Wallabies is almost identical to that of the Kangaroos' over the Kiwis. Why is this statement of fact proving so difficult to acknowledge?