Australia opened the Rugby League World Cup with a dramatic 24‑22 win against New Zealand at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium.
The clash will rank among the sport’s finest, as Jack Bostock’s three‑try haul turned the tide despite the Kiwis’ early dominance.
Fans set a record attendance, the largest Test crowd in half a century, eclipsing the 1974 benchmark.
The triumph catapults defending champions Australia straight to the summit of Pool A.
Both sides entered halftime deadlocked at 10‑10 after a riveting first 40 minutes.
New Zealand struck first through Casey McLean, with Jamayne Isaako’s conversion and two penalties keeping the Kiwis in the hunt.
Australia answered with back‑to‑back breaks, Bostock and Tom Trbojevic grounding scores, the latter’s try converted by Reece Walsh.
The Kangaroos lost Kotoni Staggs to the sin‑bin after he impeded Kodi Nikorima during a promising kick chase.
Kalyn Ponga dazzled for the Kiwis, crossing twice before exiting with an arm injury, yet Australia held firm.
Walsh burst downfield for a try, then debutant Bostock rose twice more to complete his hat‑trick.
That margin proved enough for the Kangaroos to cling to a nail‑biting two‑point win.
The electric atmosphere at Allianz saw international rugby league take centre stage once the anthems and haka faded.
The Kiwis surged early, converting a spectacular McLean corner try—Ronaldo Mulitalo leapt highest to feed the centre’s gravity‑defying finish, followed by Isaako’s conversion for a 6‑0 lead.
Australia’s first answer arrived in the 20th minute when rookie Bostock intercepted Jerome Hughes and sprinted to score, narrowing the gap to two.
Isaako then slotted a penalty after Walsh’s goal‑line dropout was forced into touch, extending New Zealand’s lead to 8‑4.
Six minutes later, Trbojevic mirrored the earlier try, intercepting and sprinting the length of the field; Walsh’s conversion restored a two‑point edge for Australia.
The first half continued to sizzle.
With moments left, Nikorima chased a grubber that seemed certain to score, but Staggs’ interference earned a sin‑bin and Isaako’s boot tied the game at 10‑10 with 40 minutes remaining.
Five minutes into the second period, New Zealand exploited the sin‑bin, shifting left to create a massive overlap; Ponga capitalised, scoring his first try, and Isaako’s conversion pushed the lead to 16‑10.
A costly error by Trbojevic followed, as a knock‑on appeared to set up a Mulitalo try, but Isaiah Papali’i was ruled offside, nullifying the score.
Momentum flipped when Bostock leapt highest in the corner for his second try; Walsh’s conversion levelled the match with just over 20 minutes left.
Ponga then reclaimed the lead at 22‑16, slicing through the defence, evading Walsh with a daring sidestep, and diving despite his shorts being pulled.
Soon after, Walsh answered, sprinting to the corner after a deft footstep around the halfway line.
Later, Walsh, who had been kicking all game, felt ill on the sideline and missed a conversion, forcing Latrell Mitchell to take the kick, which drifted wide.
With Ponga off with a suspected arm injury, New Zealand pressed in the closing ten minutes, but Australia persisted; in the 76th minute Bostock rose again to seal his hat‑trick and put the Kangaroos ahead.
Walsh resumed kicking but missed the conversion, yet the effort didn’t matter as Australia fought hard to lock in a statement win.
Having held the title since 2013, the Aussies appear poised to chase a fourth consecutive World Cup—a feat I think would cement their legacy.
Australia debutant and hat‑trick hero, Jack Bostock:
“I can’t put it into words. Wearing the green and gold has been a lifelong dream,” he said.
“Munster have done it many times in World Cups and they kicked it beautifully—so I just had to join the party!”
New Zealand captain James Fisher‑Harris:
“That’s Test footy. We fought the full 80 minutes. Much respect to Australia—some moments swung their way,” he noted.
“Hopefully we’ll meet them again down the track. Will they keep the momentum?”