New rules for this Rugby League World Cup make nation-swapping practically encouraged. This culture clash delights some and offends others. The intensity of Thursday night’s opening match showed that players and fans are the real winners.
A sell-out crowd of over 40,000 filled Allianz Stadium in Sydney in black jerseys to watch an all-star New Zealand side take on the hosts. Australia has won nine of the last ten Cups, but their 24-22 victory was a great escape.
The Kangaroos met the James Fisher-Harris-led haka in a boomerang formation, hoping to capture the menace of the Māori war dance and send it back on their trans-Tasman foes. Instead, they were caught flat-footed early as Casey McLean scored an opening try with an aerial twist touchdown.
New Zealand fielded their strongest ever squad, bolstered by player defections allowed under relaxed rules. Dane Gagai switched allegiance after playing seven Tests for the Kangaroos in 2017 and 2018, drawing on his Māori mother Tania. Kalyn Ponga, a junior Kangaroo in 2019, made his international debut in the black jersey through his Māori descent.
Ponga delivered an extraordinary individual performance before suffering a broken arm that rules him out of the rest of the tournament. He created havoc every time he touched the ball, scoring two tries and nearly adding a third before a last-gasp tackle.
That try-saving tackle came from Reece Walsh. Australia coach Kevin Walters had controversially given Walsh the number one jersey over James Tedesco. The gamble paid off despite Walsh having missed two months of action.
Australia stayed in the contest on the back of two runaway first-half tries. Test debutant Jack Bostock scored three tries in total, while Tom Trbojevic streaked ninety metres to score during an otherwise rusty performance.
Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell struggled to find chemistry in the centres, with Mitchell delivering little impact all night. Mitchell was outperformed by Gagai for most of the Test. These struggles may force Walters to make selection changes before Australia faces Fiji on Sunday week.
This tournament was originally scheduled for France in 2025, but Australia stepped in as hosts after French organizers withdrew. The schedule continues with France playing Samoa, and England facing Tonga on Saturday.
