Rugby League World Cup as it happened: Australia finish group stage in style against Italy

That’s all from Totally Wicked Stadium this morning folks. Australia advance to the quarter-finals, and we’re no closer to working out who will play halfback in the sudden death stages with Nathan Cleary and Daly Cherry-Evans jostling for what would be the No. 7 jersey.

Thanks for joining our rolling coverage this morning. Keep your eyes locked on our pages for all the latest from the Rugby League World Cup in England. Caden Helmers signing off.

As you go, do one thing for us: start a conversation. Open up to someone about how you’re going, and lend an ear as they do the same. You never know the difference it could make.

The great green-and-gold scrumbase shoot-out has ended in a stalemate.

Nathan Cleary and Daly Cherry-Evans split the halfback duties throughout a 66-6 disposal of Italy in St Helens and a points decision for the premier playmaker could have gone either way in an effective, but not altogether dominant Kangaroos performance.

With Mal Meninga pairing the Origin rivals in the halves before settling on his first-choice 17 for the World Cup’s knock-out stages, both Cleary and Cherry-Evans finished with three try-assists apiece and an equal share of eye-catching moments.

Tit-for-tat it went in regards to the biggest question remaining over Meninga’s squad, while Liam Martin, Lindsay Collins and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui also furthered their claims for starts in Australia’s top forward rotation.

Latrell Mitchell celebrates.Credit: AP

Liam Martin breaks free.Credit: Getty

Daly Cherry-Evans and Murray Taulagi celebrate one of 12 Australian triesCredit: AP

We’ve heard from DCE, now what does Cleary make of the halfback battle?

“It’s up to Mal, either way he goes it’s going to be a good option. I really rate Daly,” Cleary said on Fox Sports post-match.

“It was fun [playing alongside Cherry-Evans]. We swapped roles after half-time. He’s a great organiser. There’s always things you can get better at. A few scratchy things tonight.”

No longer the heir apparent, Cleary may well be the man for Australia beginning in the quarter-finals.

Daly Cherry-Evans and Nathan Cleary are in a shootout for the Australian halfback role. Could that be one of his last outings in a Kangaroos jersey?

“It’s obviously going to be beaten up as a competition, and don’t get me wrong, I want to be in the final 17. I’m hoping that’s not the last one [I play], but we’ll see,” Cherry-Evans said on Fox.

The Kangaroos are on a collision course with Lebanon in the quarter-finals. Beyond that? New Zealand in a semi-final.

“Of course we’re feeling confident. It does get fair dinkum now, any loss and you’re going home. We came to win it,” Cherry-Evans said.

Australia have topped group B after cruising through the pool matches unbeaten. They’ll take on the runner-up from group C, which is likely to be Lebanon. Mitch Moses and the Cedars close out their group stages against Jamaica tonight [AEDT].

It’s the home of the Super League champions, now have we just seen the eventual World Cup champions in action at Totally Wicked Stadium tonight?

Full-time, and that went as most thought it would. Australia close out the group stages with a 66-6 win over Italy after Lindsay Collins scored inside the final minute.

A few big cheers for Italy’s sporadic fine moments, none louder than their lone try to Ronnie Palumbo. Jeremiah Nanai brilliant for Australia, as was James Tedesco before he was brought off for the final 30 minutes. If you wanted to know who won the halfback battle between Nathan Cleary and Daly Cherry-Evans, well, we didn’t learn much. Hard to when it’s such a lopsided contest.

Nathan Cleary converts.Credit: AP

Some start to a career for Jeremiah Nanai. He has played 27 games for North Queensland, won a State of Origin series with Queensland, and now he is scoring tries for Australia at the World Cup. Not bad for 19, huh?

Nanai scores against Italy and the Australians have hit 60.

Australia 6-06 after 76 minutes