Australia (10) 24
Try: Bostock 3, Trbojevic, Walsh Goals: Walsh 2
New Zealand (10) 22
Try: McLean, Ponga2 Goals: Isaako 3 Penalties: Isaako 2
The opening matches of World Cups can often be cautious, reserved non-events. Someone forgot to tell Australia and New Zealand.
It was as good as this sport. As good as any sport.
These two old enemies traded blows – in every sense of the word – for 80 thrilling minutes in a game of stunning skill, brutal intensity and relentless drama.
New Zealand’s formidable pack manhandled Australia’s forwards for the majority of this Rugby League World Cup 2026 opener, but the reigning champions did what champions do and somehow pulled out a victory.
It was scintillating international rugby league, with more than 40,000 supporters – the largest Test match crowd in Sydney for 50 years – witnessing the ultimate smash-and-grab victory for Kevin Walters’ team.
Casey McLean’s superb first try gave New Zealand the momentum and they were in the lead until the final five minutes, when Jack Bostock scored a superb start for the Kangaroos with his third try to decide an epic match.
Bostock’s dream debut – which included an interception try and two victories in aerial battles to win Cameron Munster’s spiraling kicks – was one of many fascinating subplots.
Kalyn Ponga’s match against Australian counterpart Reece Walsh, arguably the sport’s biggest star, was another.
The Kiwi full-back scored twice and looked to be asserting himself in his personal battle until Walsh produced a superb long-range try to set the platform for the Kangaroos’ latest triumph.
Ponga left the field injured with a likely broken arm before Munster and Bostock resumed their up-and-down show with less than five minutes on the clock and had his left arm in a sling at full time.
It’s unclear how new Queensland coach Darius Boyd will choose between the star duo at Origin level next year.
How do you separate arguably the two best full-backs in the game, with neither willing to give the other an inch?
While Walsh’s superb tackle on Ponga prevented a try in the first half, the Newcastle Knights man responded by dancing in front of his Australian counterpart en route to a second try.
But Walsh came back, delivering an attacking response of his own eight minutes later.
Ponga benefited from the New Zealand pack who took the lead for most of the match.
As a result, the courage and daring Australia showed in the Ashes triumph 12 months ago has largely been replaced by necessity with dogged defense of their line.
Yet somehow, largely thanks to two errant New Zealand passes that allowed Bostock and Tom Trbojevic to run unopposed from distance to score – they were tied at 10-10 at the break after being largely outplayed.
However, trailing 6-0, 16-10 and 22-16, the world champions found a way to open the tournament with a victory.
Few would bet that Australia will need to repeat that performance against their old opponents on November 15 if they are to lift the trophy for a 13th time.
Gn sports
