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AAP & rugbyleaguelive.com | 09/05/08 | 0
AUDIO - 'We came to get a job done and we did it': Ricky Stuart
AUDIO - 'We were never expecting a walkover': Paul Gallen
AUDIO - Carl Webb: 'It was everything I expected'
AUDIO - Cam Smith: 'I'll treasure this moment forever'
Australia continued their recent dominance of New Zealand with a mixture of sublime skill and brutal efficiency as they took care of the Kiwis with a 28-12 win in tonight's rugby league Centenary Test at the SCG.
In a match tinged with sadness following the death of legendary coach Jack Gibson just 90 minutes before kick-off, Australia put the visitors to the sword in the first half before holding off a determined Kiwi outfit after the break.
The Kangaroos led 22-0 at halftime and never looked like losing form that point as centre Mark Gasnier scored twice with Paul Gallen, skipper Cam Smith and Israel Folau also crossing for four pointers.
Setaimata Sa scored on debut for the Kiwis early in the second half while Sam Perrett crossed in the final minute to add some respectability to the scoreline.
The early signs weren't good for the Kiwis as Brent Webb knocked on inside his own half on his side's first touch of the ball.
The Australians were also a little off kilter, with debutant Billy Slater throwing a pass that almost finished in the first row of the members stand.
But when the home side did kick into gear, boy was it a sight to behold.
Greg Inglis produced a touch of the unbelievable for the opening try when he fumbled a precise Jonathan Thurston kick only to flick it back over his head as he sailed over the dead ball line into the waiting hands of Gasnier.
Thurston converted from the sideline for a 6-0 lead.
Unfortunatley for the unexpectedly strong 34,571 fans who streamed into the SCG, it went from the utterly sublime to the ridiculously easy as the Kangaroos piled on another three soft tries to make it 22-0 after as many minutes.
The Kiwis weren't helped by the loss of skipper Roy Asotasi, who was reportedly physically sick after being knocked unconscious early in the contest.
Maybe his symptoms had more to do with the defensive display his teammates were about to produce.
There was nothing spectacular about Australia's three-try blitz, all of which occurred in the space of eight minutes.
Gasnier secured his double after darting down a blind side in which he magically found room to move.
Gallen then celebrated his Test debut with a soft short-range try, before skipper Smith got a benefit of the doubt call from the video referee after burroweing over from dummy half.
At that point, it looked like a case of by how much for the home side as a repeat of the 58-0 scoreline from the last time these two side met in October last year again looked on the cards.
But the Kiwis refused to lie down as they not only stopped the Australian juggernaut but also managed to apply some pressure themselves.
Most of their damage was done out of dummy half, hooker Issac Luke a constant menace and denied a four-pointer by a sensational cover tackle from fullback Billy Slater.
The Kiwis saved the match from embarrassment as they crossed three minutes after the break.
Sonny Bill Williams finally made an impact as he offloaded for Iosia Soliola to run 40 metres for New Zealand's opening points.
Any chance they had of mounting an unlikely comeback, however, sailed over the sideline when a Soliola pass flew off Sam Perrett's fingertips and over the sideline with the line wide open on the hour.
Australia made them pay when a Thurston kick found Justin Hodges out wide, the Brisbane ace unselfishly passing for Folau to score and confirm the win.
Perrett made up for his earlier gaffe with a try on the bell, the conversion for which was held up as a streaker entertained the fans with a length of the field dash.
The match started on a sombre note as the passing of five-time premiership winning coach Gibson after a two-year battle with Alzheimer's disease and dementia was marked by a minute's silence.
AUSTRALIA 28 (Mark Gasnier 2, Paul Gallen, Cameron Smith, Israel Folau tries; Johnathan Thurston 4 goals)
bt
NEW ZEALAND 12 (Sia Soliola, Sam Perrett tries; Jeremy Smith, Issac Luke goals)
Crowd: 34,571.
I'll treasure this moment forever...
Cam Smith, Kangaroos hooker
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