BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Jack Bostock scored two tries, including the last to put the result beyond any doubt, as Australia beat New Zealand 32-12 on Sunday to claim a fourth consecutive Rugby League World Cup title.
Australia opened the tournament with a 24-22 comeback win over New Zealand, and the teams set up a rematch with emphatic semifinal wins. Australia beat Samoa 44-12 in a replay of the 2022 decider and New Zealand reached the championship match with a 34-10 win over Tonga.
The Kangaroos opened the scoring early in the final and dominated with six tries to two at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium after New Zealand blundered from the opening kickoff.
Liam Martin barged over in the second minute after clever dummyhalf work from Harry Grant near the tryline and Cameron Munster converted to give Australia a 6-0 lead.
The Kiwis leveled in the 12th after sustained pressure in the attacking quarter, with Kodi Nikorima picking up a loose ball and sending center Casey McLean over on an angled run to the line through some poor defense out wide. Jamayne Isaako converted for 6-6.
In the 19th minute, Bostock crossed on the left wing after some quick hands across the backline to make it 10-6, and Munster kicked a penalty goal soon after to restore a 6-point margin.
Center Bradman Best and Liam Martin scored tries in the 10 minutes before halftime to give Australia a 24-6 lead at the break.
It became 28-6 three minutes into the second half after fullback Reece Walsh danced through the defense and unloaded to an unmarked Tom Trbojevic to score in the right corner.
With 15 to go, New Zealand closed the gap to 16 points when Isaiah Palali’i ran onto a well-timed grubber kick from Nikorima to score and Jamayne Isaako converted.
Bostock's 77th-minute try, his ninth of the tournament, capped the lopsided victory and contributed to his player-of-the-match award.
“Defensively, again, magnificent,” Australia coach Kevin Walters said. “We’re solid mate, the Aussies. We had a plan, and we executed that plan beautifully.”
Australia's Jillaroos won the women's final 34-10, set up by Jaime Chapman's first-half hat-trick of tries, to claim a fourth consecutive Rugby League World Cup title.
The Australians scored six tries in the first half against New Zealand, which won the first three world titles from 2000 to 2008.
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