Kiwis bruised, bloodied and beaten
October 27th 2008 06:46
The black eye on Sika Manu said it all as New Zealand were beaten to a pole in another world cup massacre against 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 longed held its own against their trans Tasman rivals.
Indeed 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 boosting the three best playmakers in world league with Thurston, Lockyer and Smith all in the same coloured shirt.
Despite each of them not playing for the same club at NRL level, the telepathic ability between those three demonstrated why Australia will be damn hard to stop en route to a tenth world cup crown.
Their slick passing movement was dominant and it seemed when ever 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 rivalling 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, with Australia’s backline thriving on the services of Lockyer and co.
Indeed 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.
So far, he is yet to be proven otherwise.
But of all the ensemble cast for the Kangaroos, Thurston was the main star of the show against New Zealand.
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 to a tiring Kiwi defence.
Indeed this is what New Zealand lack in their starting seventeen. How they would love to have an array of options at half/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, its little wonder why Australia are raging favourites for this tournament.
With Australia surely finetuning its preparations for the decider at Suncorp Stadium on November 22, what now for the Kiwis?
Thomas Leululai once again proved to be ineffective at halfback. Benji Marshall was the only one capable of providing a spark, and in the end, the pressure told on the Premiership winner.
If New Zealand are to make the final, Nathan Fien must go to halfback and Issac Luke to hooker if they are to avoid a premature end to their world cup campaign.
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