Entry 6. 7th November
This was supposed to be the game where New Zealand showed the sporting public that there is a true shift in power in the Southern Hemisphere. What eventuated was a case of clinical ruthlessness from Australia. Even with a few changes to their side, no Darren Lockyer or Billy Slater as a casing point, this still showed New Zealand what they have to apsire towards.
New Zealand made a confident start but a disappointing kick was snapped up by Darius Boyd. It then took the Australians just six minutes to open scoring after Paul Gallen and Cameron Smith kept the ball alive for Cooper Cronk to shoot through the defence. Smith converted and it was 6-0.
Australia kept the pressure on with Todd Carney forcing a drop out but the Green and Golds were unable to add to their score and when David Shillington went high with a tackle at the other end of the field, Benji Marshall planted the ball between the posts to put the Kiwis back within striking distance at 6-2.
As the Kiwis massed their attack, a sound grubber kick from Lance Hohaia forced a drop out but again Australias defence held firm.
A couple of minutes later Carney spun a pass wide for Brett Tate and he was able to smuggle the ball out of a Sam Perrett tackle for Brett Morris to touch down. Again Smith made it six points with the conversion and New Zealand went through the horrors when they booted the ball out on the full from the restart. After moving within striking distance, Tate became try scorer with a lunge from dummy half and hooker Smith again goaled for an 18-2 lead.
It was then that the Kiwis finally got going. Frank Pritchard won a penalty and all of a sudden New Zealand moved with purpose. Marshall's excellent grubber kick was chased by Nathan Fein and forced a drop out while the Kiwi Marshall almost got things moving with Hohaia only for an Australian hand to intervene.
The pressure did eventually tell on Australia when Thomas Leuluai found Pritchard and he went through the heart of the defence for a power-packed try. Marshall converted and the Kiwis could count themselves unlucky a couple of minutes later when Simon Mannering broke the line but instead of finding Jason Nightingale, he popped the ball up into the grateful arms of Dean Young.
A dust-up between Shillington and Isaac Luke livened the game up further before the break but with the clock ticking down, Marshall booted his third goal to send the Kiwis in with just an eight point deficit at half-time.
As in the first half, Australia scored first in the second when a flying Morris threw the ball inside for Boyd and he scored his first international try. It was too far out for Smith and Australia had to be on their guard when quick thinking from Marshall saw him tap a penalty and duck and weave downfield for a forty metre gain. Again this came to nothing while at the other end a knock-on from Hohaia was touched by New Zealand hands meaning a penalty to Australia. With field position and possession, Australia did what they do best.
Robbie Farrah darted out of dummy half and slid a pin point kick to the in-goal area for clubmate Chris Lawrence to chase. The debutant grounded cleanly and Carney goaled to make it 28-10. Another mistake from the Kiwis was punished as they compounded a knock-on by not setting up correctly at the scrum. Australia used numbers well with Tate handing on to Morris and he seared 40 metres down the wing to the try line. Carney added his second goal and at 34-10 the contest was over.
New Zealand continued to plug away and will certainly fancy their chances next week in the final if they can get Benji Marshall a proper platform to work his magic from. A rare mistake from Boyd came after 63 minutes and it was the Kiwis turn to punish as a superb Marshall offload found Nightingale for an unconverted try.
The New Zealand stand-off was incredibly unlucky eight minutes later when he just lost the ball over the line after some great footwork but he did not let this deter him and a majestic pass bamboozled the defence and allowed Shaun Kenny-Dowall to score the final try of the game in the 76th minute. Marshall booted his fourth goal but the Kiwis lost out 34-20 and must regroup ahead of next Saturday's final in Brisbane.
I for one can't wait for that!
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