NEW ZEALAND 30 USA 26
IAN GOLDEN, WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, Thursday
NEW ZEALAND recorded their first-ever Wheelchair World Cup win after edging the USA in the battle royale for seventh place.
Both sides’ powerhouses got on to the scoresheet early in the match. The USA broke the deadlock through a Mack Johnson try that Bill Johnstone converted, only for it to be cancelled out by a Nikia Fa’atau effort that was improved by Ryan Charles.
Joshua Hirini-Barclay gave New Zealand the lead with an unconverted try, but the USA’s Antoine Gray hit back, with Johnstone’s kick hitting the post, leaving the score tied at 10-10 by the half-hour.
But the Wheel Kiwis had a 20-16 advantage at the break.
Johnson put USA in the lead again, with Johnstone converting, but he then couldn’t land a penalty, with Jack Brown and Fa’atu scoring two quick tries for the Wheel Kiwis, Hirini-Barclay converting the first.
Brown extended New Zealand’s lead seven minutes into the second half, and though Hirini-Barclay couldn’t convert, he did get the next try five minutes later.
Charles converted to make the score 30-16, with the Wheel Kiwis appearing to be in control.
Two Gray tries, one on 60 minutes and then the other on 77 – the first of which Johnstone improved – led to a nervy finish, but New Zealand, who missed a last second penalty, held on for an historic win.
NEW ZEALAND: 3 Nikia Fa’atau, 5 Jayson Hooker, 2 Ryan Charles, 10 Jamie Tapp, 6 Kauri Murray. Subs (all used): 1 Jack Brown, 4 Joshua Hirini-Barclay, 9 Pele Selusi.
Tries: Fa’atau (11, 40), Hirini-Barclay (21, 52), Brown (38, 47); Goals: Charles 2/4, Hirini-Barclay 1/2, Hooker 0/1
USA: 1 Mack Johnson, 8 Brent Hawkins, 12 Antoine Gray, 10 Bill Johnstone, 1 Andy Kingsley. Subs (all used): 4 James Ross, 7 Will Fox, 9 LaVern Anderson
Tries: Johnson (6, 30), Gray (26, 60, 77); Goals: Johnstone 3/6
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 10-6, 10-10, 10-16, 16-16, 20-16, 24-16, 30-16, 30-22, 30-26
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Players of the Match
New Zealand: Nikia Fa’atu; USA: Antoine Gray
Penalty count: 5-8; Half-time: 20-16; Referees: Steve Hewson and Anthony Bishop
