Australia emerged through a low-scoring and somewhat forgettable Anzac Test match against New Zealand to claim the latest bragging rights between the two nations.
It was a matchup between the world’s top two sides but, with little to get excited about for the most part, it will have been a performance that may have not caused new England coach Wayne Bennett too much discomfort.
Most of the talk heading into the contest was about eligibility rules amidst the controversial pick of Fiji winger Semi Radradra for the Kangaroos – and he did garner some of the headlines early on when he was sin binned.
However, Mal Meninga’s side regrouped to lead 10-0 at the break courtesy of two tries and a penalty goal. Fullback Darius Boyd broke the deadlock when he crashed over and, although Johnathan Thurston missed the conversion, he would add on a penalty soon after to make it 6-0.
The Kiwis were then powerless to prevent the Kangaroos from going over again when Greg Inglis produced a moment of quality that – in the whole context of the game – was rare. He dummied and stepped over to make it 10-0, and that was the final try of the evening in front of over 27,000 fans.
Another penalty goal from Thurston made it 12-0 and that looked like how it would finish, but the Kangaroos got their third when some fine handling out wide allowed Blake Ferguson to dive over.
