Immortal talents leave Kiwis in dust
FORGET the battle for this year’s World Cup.
The greatest contest in international rugby league right now is not between nations. It’s between teammates. Cameron Smith v Johnathan Thurston.
Tell us, who wins the race to be the next Immortal?
The ongoing debate about who is the game’s best player delivered us another chapter last night as Australia slaughtered New Zealand 30- 12 in the Anzac Test.
Coming on the back of last year’s dominant Four Nations victory, Mal Meninga continued his outstanding record in the top job as the Kangaroos raced in five tries to two.
On a night of complete Australian dominance, the only downside for the Kangaroos was a suspected fractured cheekbone suffered by Josh Dugan after an accidental second half head clash with his St George Illawarra teammate and Kiwi Russell Packer.
Australia had the game wrapped up at halftime after charging to a 24- 0 lead before the Kiwis salvaged some pride late in the game.
But overall they could have only been disappointed with the performance on a night when it was impossible to fault any of the Aussies.
It also highlighted just how far the Kangaroos now are ahead of the team considered to be their closest rival in the countdown to this year’s end- of- year World Cup.
Playing in his milestone 50th Test for Australia, skipper Smith controlled the match brilliantly in his typically cool and composed manner, while Thurston sprinkled the magic dust with a performance that denied the fact it was his first game in a month.
Throughout the week the big debate surrounding Thurston was how he would cope playing in a Test match given he hadn’t played since Round 6 against the Wests Tigers, when he suffered a calf injury.
But the 34- year- old phenomenon put any concerns straight to bed with a glorious first half performance where he laid on two of Australia’s four tries before the break.
After a bruising opening spell, the Kangaroos seized control on the back of a pinpoint- perfect crossfield kick from Thurston in the 12th minute that found a soaring Josh Dugan.
Blake Ferguson was next to score when he latched on to a Shaun Johnson pass near his own tryline and sprinted the length of the field to touch down in the 17th minute.
Will Chambers was next to celebrate after some barnstorming lead- up work from Sam Thaiday, before another clever Thurston kick laid on more points for Tyson Frizell.
The game was as good as over at halftime but any slim chance the Kiwis had ended the moment Jake Trbojevic slammed down Australia’s fifth try just four minutes after the break.
The Kiwis finally broke through for their first try in the 56th minute via Simon Mannering and another try to Roger Tuivasa- Sheck put some respectability into the scoreboard.
It was hoped the return of Kieran Foran last night to complete the Warriors’ spine would give New Zealand a strong chance of upsetting the Australians.
But Australia’s dominance would only have New Zealand coach David Kidwell asking more questions.