Summary
If you’re a NSW supporter you’ve just witnessed what Cameron Smith and friends seemingly did game-in, game-out for the best part of the last decade during Origin: win crucial games between almost equally-matched opponents.
Australia were incredibly disciplined, they did all the little stuff right, but if you’re David Kidwell you’d be tearing you hair out after that.
The ‘what-ifs’ will be reverberating around his skull in the hotel room tonight; his side showed the full gamut - the unfathomable skill and brilliance of Johnson, with the Jekyll and Hyde of kicks out on the full, kicks too deep across the ingoal, and conversion attempts inexplicably missed.
At key moments players like Inglis and Thurston came up with the important tackles - don’t forget Isaac Luke was just inches from putting NZ in 10-6 down at half-time, but for Thurston’s tryline heroics.
Moments like Taupau’s indiscipline in the tackle have let NZ down here - they were far better in patches than Australia, but also far worse - and it’s a victory for a more consistent Kangaroos performance, but far from emphatic.
England would have watched this with interest, knowing they need to now beat Australia to make the Four Nations final. There will have been enough there to have interested Wayne Bennett - what a cracking final group game that will be.
A great eighty minutes of league, and Kangaroos fans will be relieved. The old pros, too experienced and too good at all the one per-centers.
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Full-time: Australia 14-8 New Zealand
How bout that for a finish!
Well, you can’t fault the Kiwis for effort or heart - they gave absolutely everything and nearly conjured the miraculous.
The Kangaroos run to hug and celebrate; they know they’ve got away with one. A great, tight battle - and if these are our finalists, then we’re set for a real treat. Super rugby league.
No try!
80 min: Johnson is held up! So we’re back at the 10m line with ONE more play for the Kiwis.
Johnson has to restart, so he can’t feature. They spin left the Kiwis, go through the hands and Kata puts a dribbler through..
But Boyd bats dead, and the Kangaroos have held on!
80 min: They spin right, it’s in the hands of Johnson - he beats his opposite number - it’s three on two, you are kidding me, he hasn’t has he!
Brilliant stuff, and Johnson cuts through a gap - and crosses the line - but has he grounded it?!
79 min: We’ve got a blockbuster here - Kiwis try to put together a good six, but they can’t find a hole. Johnson probes, looks to find the ingoal, and Ferguson happily takes the restart.
Kiwis with two, maybe three carries - before the hooter.
Try! Australia 14-8 New Zealand (Rapana)
77 min: Well, well, well! People keep asking for some Shaun Johnson magic, and would you believe it - he’s delivered! Absolutely lovely chip and chase - the bounce was awful but the mercurial halfback just scoops it in, brilliantly. Throws a no-look pass to Kenny-Dowall who feeds Rapana. Great play, NZ.
Johnson with the chance at the extras from the conversion - but having done the hard stuff, the halfback’s missed with the easy bit!
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75 min: Thurston is injured in backplay, but it’s a loose effort from the Kiwis - they try to force a pass, but fortuitously it’s Australia that are penalised for a knock on.
Kiwis with a scrum and half an opportunity - but oh deary me. They’ve attempted a kick straight away, and that’s not even close.
Expect ‘game management’ from Smith to come into full effect here, as Australia just eat up metres, and time.
73 min: Australia do well to prevent the Kiwis getting out, and it’s a non-descript kick which allows Valentine Holmes to wind up with the return.
Easy metres and the Kangaroos are threatening again. Thaiday held on the last - NZ need to go 90m now if they want to cross here.
Penalty! Australia 14-4 New Zealand
71 min: No mistake from JT and it’s Australia by 10 points.
Merrin with strong metres, Thurston kicks over the line, forcing Rapana to turn and scramble. NZ restart from about 5m out.
69 min: Oh no, Leuluai with a lose pass about 25m out, and who swoops - Ferguson again! Australia with a set of six in a really dangerous position. Blair penalised trying to get back from a tackle - that’s a coach killer after five good defensive tackles - and curiously Australia point to the sticks.
What good will two extra do here - is it just to wind the clock?
67 min: All set for a classic Australian grind out here as the clock begins to become a factor for the Kiwis. If they start to chance their arm too much they’ll open themselves up to a counter-punch.
Smith with a trickling grubber, picked up on NZ’s 10m line.
64 min: Johnson kicks off balance and it’s out on the full. Australia with an opportunity from about 20m out after a strong hit-up from Scott.
Kangaroos go to the skies, but it’s well defused. NZ restart and spread left. Great offload and Luke makes great metres through the centre - a series of good rolling footy - real razzle-dazzle stuff from the Kiwis - but they’re pinged for a forward pass!
Noo, the commentators are convinced, but I’m not. Especially off the back of such a lovely passage of league - it’s a lose ball, falling over the shoulder as a player is tackled; surely you can give benefit of the doubt to the attackers? Not so.
No try!
62 min: Blake Ferguson is having an absolute stormer - does brilliantly to cross in the corner - but would you believe it, it’s been called for a forward pass!
Replays suggest rightly so, what a reprieve.
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60 min: Kiwis with a scrum feed and they spread nicely to the right. Good strong running from Johnson and Kahu.
Good kick from Johnson puts Ferguson right inside his ingoal, but the massive winger beats about seven players to make his way back into the field of play! Heroic effort - and to compound the matter, the Kiwis are penalised in the first tackle.
Such pivotal moments, this one is turning into a game of tiny margins.
58 min: They spread wide, hit the right and Johnson might put Kenny Dowall through - but oh no! The centre’s put it down!
Big turnover there, NZ with half a sniff. Some of those early handling errors creeping back into this one?
56 min: Great strong metres up the centre from you guessed it, Klemmer and Cordner. Also Gillett with a scamper but the closing kick is too deep and Kahu marks the bombed attempt ingoal.
Kiwis restart from the 20m.
Penalty! Australia 12-4 New Zealand
54 min: JT no mistake from right in front, and a moment’s indiscipline sees the Kangaroos straight away hit back, and return to outside a converted try.
52 min: Careless from Taupau - he’s given away a needless penalty for a swinging arm after the tackle on Thaiday. Will this cost his side?
Another massive run from Klemmer, and all of a sudden this has set up nicely for Australia. The Kiwis hold on, but literally, and are penalised - Tohu Harris the man pinned, and Cameron Smith points to the sticks.
50 min: Well. Cameron Smith gives his men a proper bollocking in backplay while that kick was being taken. Didn’t do a lot wrong there, the Kangaroos, but they find themselves in a contest again.
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Try! Australia 10-4 New Zealand (Kata)
48 min: Ferguson gets caught at marker and Kiwis look to exploit their numerical advantage out wide. Solomone Kata makes a charge for the line but he’s met by three in green & gold; they try to hold him, but he’s too strong. Great work from the Warriors centre - and we’re back on!
Johnson with a difficult one from wide, but it drifts astray. No extras - a converted try the difference.
48 min: Smith penalised for holding on too long, and now the Kiwis get a good look here. On the second about 25m out. What can they conjure.
Johnson kicks early, it’s played at by Australia - six again - and only 15m out!
46 min: O’Neill runs into an absolute wall of black - three in the tackle there. Strong metres from Cordner again, he’s been impressive - and almost puts Morgan into a whole.
Meanwhile the Kangaroos spin to test the Kiwi’s left edge defence but it’s a poor pass from Gillett and we have a turnover.
44 min: Johnson runs on the last, brilliant defence from JT who not only chases the kicker, but then somehow also retrieves the chipped kick and passes off to Boyd who’s tackled on his own 30m.
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42 min: Slow going coming out from the Kiwis, after 5 tackles they’re still stuck in their own 40m. Kick away is decent, but Australia take the first tackle only just inside their own half.
The early pressure is coming from Australia therefore, although nobody reads JT’s inside grubber, and the Kiwis deal comfortably.
Second half: Australia 10-0 New Zealand
40 min: Kangaroos to restart and straight away it’s a strong carry from Klemmer. He’s an axe, this kid. Cordner also with good metres before Thurston gets a steady kick away. NZ restart from about 5m out.
Incidentally, if you missed the earlier England v Scotland game, here’s Aaron Bower’s lovely write up:
I only caught the late exchanges, but sounds like Scotland gave this a real good crack early on.
Looking at some of these half-time highlights, the Kiwis sure had some great half-chances. All the talk is about Shaun Johnson - but it’s a lot of pressure on one man’s shoulders.
Who else can be the X-factor if NZ are to try and snatch this?
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So! Catch your breath if you can - what did you make of that?
Perhaps the Coventry chill was getting to some of these warm-blooded mammals early on, because there was some uncharacteristically sloppy basic errors to start. New Zealand especially looked ropey in defence, dropping tackles and allowing Australia to make some easy busts.
When they conceded the second try you thought it could turn into a procession; but thereafter the Kiwis galvanised, and but for a few millimetres and some strong work from JT could have gone in 10-6.
This one’s definitely not dead therefore, let’s see how the second stanza unfolds.
Half-time: Australia 10-0 New Zealand
40 min: Yes, they can. Great defence. The Kiwis get a strong kick away and the siren/hooter sounds/bellows.
An action-packed first forty!
39 min: After the drama of that little passage, suddenly we’re up the other end again - some tired bodies falling away from tackles, and Klemmer crosses.. but he’s held up!
20m restart - can the Kiwis hold on, right in the shadow of half-time?
37 min: Kiwis giving this a red hot go just before halftime. Some great carries through the centre, before Isaac Luke goes agonisingly close to crossing!
Johnson jinks left, jinks right - he puts his hooker into a half-hole but JT does just enough, and possibly also the padding from the post stops Luke’s momentum. What an unlucky break for NZ, and the Roos hold on.
35 min: Klemmer with a strong run - almost didn’t recognise him with actual hair. This is a borderline afro, for those more accustomed to his NSW Blues shaved noggin look.
JT grubbers through but Rapana does excellently to get back into the field of play. A good little period this - the Kiwis have come back into the contest, they’re fighting well.
33 min: No says the video ref! O’Neill just millimetres short of the line. Great scrambling defence and desperation from the Kiwis - if they conceded a third it almost certainly would have been a real body blow.
32 min: Good metres again from Cordner, here’s running hard and straight with his distinctive upright carriage.
Brilliant quick-thinking from Thurston, he kicks through for O’Neill - he slides for the line; is he over? This would be heartbreaking for Kiwi fans!
30 min: Big break by O’Neill, and the Roos are looking lively again. Kiwis doing much better defensively, and it’s a misunderstanding from Australia and they bomb the pass.
Kiwis with a chance to put together a better six.
28 min: Taumalolo with a solid run up the guts, Kata comes inside for a run. Bromwich offloads for Johnson, but again he’s put that one far too deep. These ingoals are tiny! You wonder if the players had a good look at that pre-game, because that’s a set of six just thrown away.
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26 min: Kata pinned for a dangerous tackle - no malice, just one of those that gets out of control. Another opportunity for the Roos, as if they need an invitation.
Boyd rushes for the corner, but NZ hold on - better defence from the men in black & white. Smith with the final play kick, but that one wasn’t flash, and the Kiwis survive.
24 min: Smith almost puts Merrin in, before the Kiwis rush out to stop Morgan. Great inside grubber for JT, but it’s carried into touch and it’s six again. Great pressure here, Kiwis have to hold on.
22 min: Thurston with an excellent kick to the corner, he turns around Beale and earns a repeat six with Ferguson wrapping up his opposite number ingoal.
Six again, Kangaroos.
19 min: And as so often happens, after failing to cross the Kiwis now find themselves right on the back foot. Aaron Woods charges for the line and almost loses his shorts in the process. You’ll be happy you missed that little cameo, dear readers.
This is going end-to-end! As the Roos push it wide, looking to find Holmes with a cutout it’s Rapana who plucks the intercept and runs 40m. Inglis with a desperate attempt at an ankle tap and just slows the winger. But with a great opportunity beckoning the Kiwis duff the pass. Horrible ball to Johnson, who puts it down and the moment’s lost.
16 min: Smith kicks early to keep the Kiwis on their own line. But it’s a relieving penalty against Trent Merrin and NZ restart from about 30m out. Some of the line markings are a bit confusing, the residual lines from a football (soccer) game remain - it’s the Kiwis charging up to the six-yard box.
Huge hit! Inglis charges out of the line and lines up the fullback Kahu - looked a good tackle, but we pause for replays to see if it was high. Nope, the refs are happy.
Kiwis spin to the left, real chance here, they need to strike back - but the last play kick runs deep! Very short in-goals here, kickers will have to note that, it really affects your final play options.
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Try! Australia 10-0 New Zealand (Thurston)
14 min: Deary me, the Kiwis defence is at sixes and sevens - great bust by Cordner to start it, then it’s a lovely show-and-go from Morgan, draws far too much interest from two, three players to put Ferguson into a hole. He charges at the line and offloads, and who’s there to back up? Well, you knew without asking, didn’t you, JT.
This time he’s successful with the kick from a slightly kinder angle - Australia with all the early running.
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13 min: Holmes now puts down a swirling bomb - gee, there are some errors out there so far! Boyd does well to recover, and the danger is averted.
11 min: Incidentally, if you missed the earlier clash, England ran out comfortable winners over Scotland 38-12. I was reminded of that because of the poor Scottish kicker - missed three from three.
Meanwhile, back on the field a great dart, this time on the opposite flank and it’s Holmes busting away. They’re opening them up on the flanks are the Roos.
Once again though, it’s Australia who force a pass and they neutralise their own advantage with a dropped ball.
Try! Australia 4-0 New Zealand (Ferguson)
9 min: Great angled dart from Morgan, he’s pulled down about 5m out. But the Kiwis are again penalised! Too long holding on, Johnson prevents the five-eighth from playing, and Australia are given another six from 10m out.
They spread wide, NZ are short of numbers and Ferguson does well to stand up one or two and crosses comfortably in the corner.
JT lines up the conversion from right on the touchline. No dice - just to the right of the uprights.
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8 min: First penalty of the game, Proctor pinged for hanging on too long in the tackle. Smith kicks for touch, and they start this set about 30m out. What can they muster?
6 min: Kiwis spread it wide for the first time, Kenny Dowall with it in the hands, before a lovely little cameo from Johnson.
Straight away though it’s Ferguson with the first bust of the game - great run from the winger, he picks up 60m before being hauled down.
Next play, would you believe it, big GI puts it down cold. Turn over and what a let off!
5 min: Strong defensive work again from the Kiwis, quite a few players wearing skins under their jerseys - quite a different look for those that follow the NRL, it could be a tough nippy in Coventry for this night-time kick off.
3 min: Kiwis with the marginally sharper start, they’re enjoying slightly better field position, but it’s a disappointing kick to close and some pressure is relieved as Kangaroos bring out from about 15m out.
Kick-off: Australia 0-0 New Zealand
1 min: And we’re away, Kiwis receive. Steady bash and carry before Johnson puts a well-weighted kick to the corner. Australia make their way out from their line, no great metres here - good defence.
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Anthems well observed. Quite bizarrely there was a very karaoke-esque backing track on the New Zealand anthem. Even some dirty bass grinding in. Very odd.
Flags, choirs and children ushered away - the Kiwis are circling up for the Haka which means we are in for business. No matter how many times you watch one of these they still remain spine-tingling. Well led from Isaac Luke, in contrast a close up of an almost impassive Cameron Smith.
Alright. I reckon we’re ready - let’s go!
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Kick off not a million miles away here, the players are running through their last shoulder-smacking drills in the sheds.
A nice close up of the trophy, resplendent with pretty ribbons like a fair horse. The Australian team makes it’s way out into the tunnel, and Jesse Bromwich and Cameron Smith lead their chargers out for the anthems.
Hi all, Richard Parkin in the chair, taking you through the next eighty minutes of flesh-rendering warfare in footy boots.
Where are you following this from? Drop us a line either via richard.parkin.casual@guardian.co.uk or @rrjparkin - always love to hear from you. Who do you fancy to win this one, and why? Will it be another Shaun Johnson-inspired classic? Or will Smith, Thurston et al. just grind through another win? Prizes* for best contributions.
*There’s no prizes.
Preamble
Like Sparta and Athens, Australia v New Zealand is a rivalry for the ages. Sure, both nations are only a few hundred years old, and part of their respective national identities were forged together on the beaches of Turkey. They may have also competed together under a shared flag at the Olympics but I promise you - when it comes to rugby league this remains a proper ding dong.
Australia may have come comfortably past Scotland in their opening match, whereas New Zealand only just squeaked past Wayne Bennett’s England by one point. That all matters for nearly nothing as both sides know a win here will virtually book a spot in the Four Nations final.
Earlier in the year the Kangaroos were almost comfortable in knocking over the Kiwis twice, but you’d need a short memory to forget the dramatic group stage win by the New Zealanders at the 2014 Four Nations, matched only by the tectonic clash that then followed in the final.
It’s a contest that’s gotten tighter and tighter with every passing year, and this latest installment should be no exception - grab your pork scratchings and moisten your lips.
Richard will be with us shortly, but in the interim here’s Aaron Bower’s look at Scotland v England in the Four Nations.
