Australia (10) 24Tries: Bostock 3, Trbojevic, Walsh Goals: Walsh 2New Zealand (10) 22Tries: McLean, Put 2 Goals: Isaako 3 Penalties: Isaako 2 The opening matches of World Cups can often be cagey, cagey affairs. Someone forgot to tell Australia and New Zealand. This was the best this sport can be. As good as any sport. These two old enemies traded blows, in every way, for 80 vibrant minutes in a game of astonishing skill, brutal intensity and relentless drama. New Zealand’s formidable pack thrashed Australia’s forwards for most of this Rugby League World Cup 2026 opener, but the defending champions did what champions do and somehow pulled out a victory. This was a brilliant international rugby league, with over 40,000 fans. – the largest Test Match crowd in Sydney in 50 years – witnessing the definitive victory for Kevin Walters’ team. Casey McLean’s stunning opening try gave New Zealand momentum and they were on top until the final five minutes when Jack Bostock scored a stunning debut for the Kangaroos with his third try to decide an epic match. The Kangaroos were 6-0, 16-10 and 22-16 down, with the Kiwis hitting their line to take another lead, but late tries from Reece Walsh and then Bostock changed the match. Bostock’s dream debut, which included an interception attempt and two winning aerial battles to claim Cameron Munster’s spiral kicks, was one of many fascinating subplots. Kalyn Ponga’s matchup against her Australian counterpart Walsh, arguably the sport’s biggest star, was another. The New Zealand full-back scored twice and looked set to emerge victorious in his personal battle until Walsh produced a superb long-range effort to set the stage for the Kangaroos’ last-gasp victory. Ponga left the field injured with a suspected broken arm before Munster and Bostock repeated their up-and-down show with less than five minutes left on the clock and he had his left arm in a sling at full time. How new Queensland coach Darius Boyd will select between the star duo at Origin level next year is anyone’s guess. How do you separate arguably the two best full-backs in the game? While Walsh’s magnificent tackle on Ponga denied a first-half try, the Newcastle Knights man responded by dancing past his Australian counterpart on his way to the second of his tries. But Walsh returned, delivering an impressive attacking response eight minutes later to bring Australia within two points, 20-22. Ponga had been the beneficiary of New Zealand’s powerful pack taking the lead for most of the match. As a result, the run and swagger displayed by Australia in their Ashes triumph 12 months ago was largely replaced out of necessity by firm defense of their line. Somehow though, largely thanks to two errant New Zealand passes. that allowed Bostock and Tom Trbojevic to run unopposed from distance to score: they were tied 10-10 at half-time after being comprehensively outplayed. When Trobojevic scored, only 18% of the game was played on New Zealand territory. The second half followed a similar script and as a result, this will be a result that New Zealand will find difficult to swallow. It was a game for the ages and while England and other teams are waiting to have their say, many expect Australia will have to repeat this performance against New Zealand in the final on November 15 if they are to lift the trophy for the 13th time.
