Story perspectives

Australia edges New Zealand 24-22 in World Cup opener

By Drooid · Oct 15, 2026, 3:20 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Australia Beats New Zealand

Australia beat New Zealand 24-22 in the Rugby League World Cup opener.
Jack Bostock scored a hat-trick, including the winning try in the 75th minute.
Kalyn Ponga scored two tries before leaving with a suspected broken left arm.
The match drew 41,255 fans, the largest Sydney Test crowd in fifty years.
Australia tops Pool A and will face Fiji, while New Zealand meets the Cook Islands.

Summary

Walters Picks Walsh

Coach Kevin Walters selected Reece Walsh to replace James Tedesco after his grand final workload.
Kevin Walters chose Mitchell Moses at halfback instead of Sam Walker, who is returning from syndesmosis surgery.
New eligibility regulations allow State of Origin players Kalyn Ponga and Dane Gagai to represent New Zealand internationally.
The rule change expanded the Kiwis squad, adding several Queensland representatives for the first time.

History

Historical Context

In November 2008 Australia beat New Zealand 34-20 before 50,538 spectators at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium, securing a seventh straight Rugby League World Cup title. The final coincided with Beijing’s first Olympic Games and the onset of the global financial crisis, a year of expanding international sport. Kevin Walters’ selections and the eligibility rule that let Kalyn Ponga join the Kiwis echo those 2008 cross-national shifts.

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Australia Beats New Zealand

Australia beat New Zealand 24-22 in the Rugby League World Cup opener.
Jack Bostock scored a hat-trick, including the winning try in the 75th minute.
Kalyn Ponga scored two tries before leaving with a suspected broken left arm.
The match drew 41,255 fans, the largest Sydney Test crowd in fifty years.
Australia tops Pool A and will face Fiji, while New Zealand meets the Cook Islands.

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