By Dan Walsh
Parramatta’s new star pairing secured it, but it was 24 straight, desperate tryline tackles that truly delivered green-and-gold retribution for the Kangaroos after Shaun Johnson threatened to inspire another New Zealand upset.
Zac Lomax finished with an impressive double from the wing before a Mitchell Moses match-winner, after Johnson’s return from rugby league retirement had a sold-out 17,000-strong Christchurch crowd in full voice.
New Zealand threatened to repeat the 30-0 boilover of last year’s Pacific Championships more than once, with Storm star Will Warbrick casting back to his rugby sevens pedigree with a stunning 64th-minute try that set up a grandstand finish.
Warbrick latched onto a Johnson cross-field kick before stepping one way and pivoting the other to beat Lomax all ends up in an entertaining, one-on-one wing battle.
Not until Moses streaked away from a Dylan Edwards break in the 71st minute could Australia bank the win and progress to the tournament final on November 10.
It was immediately after half-time, clinging to a 12-6 advantage, that Mal Meninga’s side truly earned it. After Harry Grant fumbled shortly after the break, New Zealand set up camp on Australia’s line for several minutes and Johnson wound back the clock with some virtuoso short kicking.
Zac Lomax scores a critical try in Christchurch.Credit: Getty Images
Twice the Kiwis crossed the tryline only to be held up or denied by the video referee, while the Kangaroos scrambled for what felt like an age before Johnson eventually looped a ball for Jamayne Isaako to make a beeline for the corner.
Again, it took impressive desperate defensive efforts from Xavier Coates and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to slide him into touch and keep the Kiwis at bay.
Lomax was then barging through them from the flank – to think he’s insistent on playing centre at the Eels next season – to put the visitors further ahead in the 58th minute.
“I felt like our goal defence inside our 20 was exceptional again, particularly in the second half when I think we had to defend four sets in the opening 10 minutes,” Meninga said.
TIMOKOCredit: Getty Images
“It’s a great rivalry and [New Zealand] came with a really simple plan that I thought they executed really well, but I thought we handled it really well too. I’m just happy we’re in the final and can sit back and watch what I think is going to be pretty physical game [between New Zealand and Tonga].”
Australia’s defensive mettle got them out of trouble more than once when their handling dropped them in it. Angus Crichton began the afternoon with an in-goal howler to rival Sonny Bill Williams’ 2013 World Cup effort, when the cross-code star slipped over the dead ball line in Warrington.
Angus Crichton bombs a try for Australia with a lazy put-down over the tryline.Credit: FOX NRL
The sold-out Christchurch crowd gave Crichton both barrels when he fumbled a casual put-down after busting the Kiwi line, bombing the opening try in Three Stooges fashion.
Clubmate Lindsay Collins was an unlikely source of a tutorial 12 minutes later. Having been hammered in his last two games by Haumole Olakau’atu and Nelson Asofa-Solomona (who was suspended from New Zealand’s campaign as a result), Collins spied diminutive Kiwis debutant Keano Kini defending in the frontline, and charged straight through him.
Johnson, out of retirement and at times playing too laterally early on, turned New Zealand’s discipline with the ball-in-hand into points as the half-hour mark loomed.
Straightening and taking on the line, Johnson combined with Kini to send Jamayne Isaako over in the corner, with the sharp-shooting winger nailing his sideline conversion for 6-all.
Australia responded through Tom Trbojevic’s power out wide, with the Sea Eagles superstar busting the Kiwis right-edge open before the break and finding Lomax, who was once again among the Kangaroos best.
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