Australia ran in seven tries to avenge last year’s World Cup final defeat with a comfortable win over New Zealand on Friday evening. The Roos led 16-6 at the break and went on to a final score of:
Australia 38-10 New Zealand
Scorers
Australia
Tries: Thurston 2, Hodges 2, Folau, Slater, Boyd Goals: Thurston 5
New Zealand
Tries: Perrett, Vatuvei Goals: Marshall
Johnathan Thurston in action against New Zealand
Thurston scored 18 points for the Kangaroos in Queensland
Teams
Australia: Billy Slater (Melbourne Storm), Israel Folau(Brisbane Broncos), Greg Inglis (Melbourne Storm), Justin Hodges (Brisbane Broncos), Darius Boyd (St George Illawarra Dragons), Darren Lockyer (captain – Brisbane Broncos), Johnathan Thurston (North Qld Cowboys), Petero Civoniceva (Penrith Panthers), Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm), Steve Price (NZ Warriors) Anthony Laffranchi (Gold Coast Titans), Paul Gallen (Cronulla Sharks), Glenn Stewart (Manly Sea Eagles)
Replacements: Kurt Gidley (Newcastle Knights), Brent Kite (Manly Sea Eagles), Luke Bailey (Gold Coast Titans), Anthony Watmough (Manly Sea Eagles)
New Zealand: Lance Hohaia (New Zealand Warriors); Sam Perrett (Sydney Roosters), Iosia Soliola (Roosters), Jerome Ropati (Warriors), Manu Vatuvei (Warriors); Nathan Fien (Warriors), Benji Marshall (captain – Wests Tigers); Roy Asotasi (South Sydney), Dene Halatau (Wests Tigers), Adam Blair (Melbourne Storm); David Fa’alogo (Souths), Bronson Harrison (Canberra Raiders); Simon Mannering (Warriors).
Replacements: Greg Eastwood (Canterbury Bulldogs), Jeff Lima (Storm), Jason Nightingale (St George Illawarra), Sika Manu (Storm).