Lockyer inspires then frightens Australia

Australia 32 - New Zealand 1

Australia's captain, Darren Lockyer, inspired them to a Tri-Nations victory over New Zealand at the second attempt, but they had to lift their game in the second half at a packed Loftus Road. Trailing at the interval, the Kangaroos showed why they are the favourites for the tournament but they suffered a major blow when Lockyer departed the field with suspected damaged ribs.

Australia's captain, Darren Lockyer, inspired them to a Tri-Nations victory over New Zealand at the second attempt, but they had to lift their game in the second half at a packed Loftus Road. Trailing at the interval, the Kangaroos showed why they are the favourites for the tournament but they suffered a major blow when Lockyer departed the field with suspected damaged ribs.

In wet, windy conditions, similar to those in which they drew with Australia in Auckland last week, New Zealand adopted similar tactics, going for big hits from the start. It produced the same effect, Jason Ryles losing the ball to Ruben Wiki in a tackle. From that the Kiwis took the lead thanks to Nigel Vagana's wonderful one-handed pass to Brent Webb.

Wiki undid all that good work when he gave away a penalty on the last tackle of a set. Australia moved the ball smoothly across the field for Willie Tonga's inside pass to send Luke Rooney over. Craig Fitzgibbon's goal put them in front. Wiki then conceded another penalty for holding on in the tackle to give Fitzgibbon an easy second goal.

The Australian second-rower Nathan Hindmarsh's ankle-high tackle on Thomas Leuluai prevented a possible Kiwi try when the scrum-half threatened to step through.

On the half-hour, New Zealand drew level, exposing Australia down their right flank, with Vinnie Anderson's looping pass releasing Super League's leading try-scorer Leslie Vainikolo for a simple score.

Fitzgibbon missed a chance to put Australia back in front with a penalty and the Kiwis responded with a glorious try, Webb throwing the ball wide for Swann, who turned it back for the supporting Vinnie Anderson to score.

Francis Melli's knock-on from the kick-off gave Australia a golden opportunity to hit back, but the New Zealand defence held out. It took the individual brilliance of Lockyer to edge Australia back in front two minutes into the second half, taking Craig Gower's pass, dummying and racing through it to give Fitzgibbon an easy conversion.

The Kiwis applied insistent pressure after that, but one of their best openings disappeared when Robbie Paul was forced into touch. That is the sort of omission upon which Australia thrive and they laid siege to the New Zealand line, Lockyer figuring twice in an attack before providing the ball for Tonga to force his way over, Lockyer this time adding the goal.

Gower's break almost produced what would have been the clinching try for Rooney. Just before the hour, they found it, Gower kicking through precisely and Shaun Berrigan winning the race for the ball.

The Kiwis might still have hit back if Roy Asotasi had been able to find the support runner when he went charging up the field, but Australia were looking assured by this stage. And when another Gower kick skewed awkwardly away from Webb, Petero Civoniceva was there to touch down.

Australia: Minichiello; Sing, Berrigan, Tonga, Rooney; Lockyer, Gower; Webcke, Buderus, Ryles, Fitzgibbon, Hindmarsh, Carroll. Substitutes used: Wing, Civoniceva, Mason, Timmins.

New Zealand: Webb; Meli, Vagana, Whatuira, Vainikolo; V Anderson, Leuluai; J Cayless, L Anderson, M Cayless, Swann, Wiki, Williams. Substitutes used: Paul, Asotasi, Rauhihi, Kidwell.

Referee: R Smith (Great Britain).