New Zealand crush PNG

leeds — Code-swapping star Sonny Bill Williams scored a hattrick as defending champions New Zealand steamrolled Papua New Guinea 56-10 on Friday in their final Rugby League World Cup Pool B match.

In an ominous broadside ahead of next weekend’s quarter-finals, the Kiwis scored 10 tries in total, half-back Shaun Johnson following up on his 24 points in the previous 48-0 victory over France with 16 more from the boot. New Zealand completely dominated PNG, their speed off the ruck led by mazy running from Issac Luke and Johnson offering up wave after wave of attacking lines that led to easy yards up the middle of the paddock.

Man-of-the-match Williams, who as a centre won the Rugby World Cup with the All Blacks on home soil in 2011 and is bidding to become the first player to win Cups in both codes, scored three tries in a total of seven in the first- half. He missed last weekend’s demolition of France, which followed the Kiwis’ opening 42-24 victory over Samoa.

The two opening wins had already assured New Zealand of a place in the quarter-finals, and coach Stephen Kearney was left to shuffle his squad against Papua New Guinea.

“There’s a lot of improvements for us to work on. We’ve just got to keep on working and step it up another level,” said Williams in his ninth league Test appearance, with 19 All Blacks games also to his credit.

Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney added: “I thought there were some glimpses tonight of some pretty good form.

“Papua New Guinea came out after half-time and really put it to us, put in a great effort and made life difficult for us.

“We’ll have a good look at the tape and assess everyone and see how everyone pulls up.”

The Kiwis opened at pace, centre Bryson Goodwin grounding a grubber after just three minutes. Johnson converted, his first of eight over the evening. —