Kangaroos trounce Kiwis

[pies4ever]

Australia pull away in second half to trounce Kiwis

23 April 2004


Australia applied the blowtorch to New Zealand in the second half of tonight's Anzac Test here tonight to run out 37-10 winners, but it wasn't the cakewalk many people thought it would be.

Australia led 11-10 at halftime but scored five tries in the second half as the Kiwis collapsed under the weight of pressure exerted by the hosts and a series of errors, particularly from their fullback Nigel Vagana who had a horror night.

Halves Darren Lockyer and Craig Gower were superb for the Australians, combining well to continually bamboozle New Zealand's defence in front of 21,557 fans.

Buderus put in a typically strong performance and was well-supported by Test debutants Nathan Hindmarsh and Joel Clinton in the first trans-Tasman Test played in Newcastle.

Appropriately, Lockyer provided a beautiful inside ball to hand interchange forward Michael Crocker the final try and Michael DeVere converted to give the Australians a convincing win.

It was sweet revenge for the Australians, who were beaten 30-16 by New Zealand in Auckland last year although tonight's home team featured several new faces.

The opening half was a tight affair, with both sides scoring two tries apiece.
Only a Darren Lockyer field goal seconds before the halftime siren edged the hosts ahead 11-10.

Australia scored through Anthony Minichiello (11m) and Timana Tahu (18m) while the Kiwis, despite losing key duo Nathan Cayless and Robbie Paul to concussion, matched their opponents with tries to David Kidwell (6m) and Lesley Vainikolo (18m).

Tahu (hamstring) did not return for the second half, with Shaun Berrigan playing in the centres and his Brisbane teammate pushed out to the wing.
In the 45th minute Tate had an immediate impact on the flank, pulling off a try-saving tackle on run-away giant winger Vainikolo, who was put in the clear by Clinton Toopi.

Seven minutes later he scored a try in the right corner to put Australia ahead 15-10 after running onto a Matt Gidley ball and fending off Toopi.

The Australians extended their lead in the 56th minute through a try to Lockyer off a Gower grubber which Kiwi Vagana failed to collect.

DeVere added the extras to give the home team a 21-10 advantage.
Vagana made two blunders in the space of a minute which contributed to Gower crossing under the posts in the 64th minute, with DeVere converting as Australia finished over the top of the fading Kiwis.

The Cronulla centre spilt a Lockyer bomb and then seconds later failed to control a Gower grubber.

From the ensuing scrum, Gower brushed off the attempted tackles of Sione Faumuina and the halfback's Penrith teammate Joe Galuvao to score.

Australia finished off New Zealand with 10 minutes remaining, DeVere scoring a soft try after winger Francis Meli was crunched in a tackle close to his line.



Brought to you by AAP


cheers bryan..!!

[pies4ever]

Kangaroos run rampant
By Barry Toohey
April 24, 2004

Australia 37 New Zealand 10
THE world's best fullback is now the world's best five-eighth.


Australian prop Shane Webcke is tackled by New Zealand's David Kidwell.

Kangaroo captain Darren Lockyer confirmed as much in Newcastle last night after a brilliant performance in the Anzac Test win over New Zealand.

With props Shane Webcke and Joel Clinton and hooker Danny Buderus laying a great platform up front, Lockyer worked his magic alongside halfback Craig Gower as Australia stormed away with the game in the second half.

It was Lockyer's first Test in the No.6 jumper. It surely won't be his last with coach Wayne Bennett looking as far ahead at the Tri-Nations tour at the end of the year as he lauded his captain's performance.

"I thought he was outstanding but he had a few good players with him," Bennett said.

"Craig Gower was very good and I thought Danny Buderus gave us great support.

"They just put so much pressure on the defence.

"I'm looking forward to the tour and getting them together for a month."

While the win was comprehensive on the scoreboard, the gallant Kiwis were far from disgraced.

They led for much of the first half but could not withstand the Kangaroos' second- half onslaught when the pressure was applied.

Cronulla star Nigel Vagana had a night he will quickly want to forget, coming up with several costly errors at fullback.

The Kiwis, maligned as easybeats in the build-up to the game, also had to overcome crucial early setbacks.

They lost their captain Nathan Cayless to concussion after just four minutes from an accidental head clash with his brother Jason and star hooker Robbie Paul also only played a bit-part in the match when he was knocked out by Buderus with a bell-ringer in the 15th minute.

Kiwis coach Daniel Anderson said the loss of two of his most experienced players hurt his side.

"It hurts your focus and direction," he said.

"It is more than minutes -- leaders drive players.

"But everyone saw a gutsy Kiwi side where all the debutants were great."

The Kiwis stunned the Kangaroos early with the opening try to lock David Kidwell after just six minutes.

Australian fullback Anthony Minichiello, who didn't have the happiest of nights by his standards, crossed for the Kangaroos soon after a great Webcke offload to bridge the gap to two points.

But the Kiwis weren't about to lie down.

Midway through the half, winger Lesley Vainikolo stormed through Timana Tahu from a scrum win to cross after a Minichiello mistake to edge the Kiwis further ahead.

Tahu redeemed himself 25 minutes in when he finished off great lead-up work from Newcastle teammates Buderus and Matt Gidley to score out wide. Unfortunately for the brilliant winger, he suffered hamstring damage and had to be replaced at halftime.

It was in the 36th minute that the Kiwis lost a golden opportunity to go into the break with the lead.

Centre Clinton Toopi broke away and with three teammates in support, a try looked certain.

But he failed to position any of them for the final pass and ended up taking the tackle himself, cruelling what should have been his side's third try.

Instead, the Kangaroos went into the break with a one-point lead when Lockyer slotted a 40m field goal.

Bennett said his side should have been behind at the break. Anderson was more direct.

"It changed momentum -- against Australia, we needed to take all our opportunities," he said.

When Lockyer and Gidley combined to send Brent Tate over in the 52nd minute and Lockyer scored himself after Vagana split a Gower grubber four minutes later, the writing was on the wall for the visitors.

AUSTRALIA 37 (A Minichiello, T Tahu, B Tate, M De Vere, D Lockyer, C Gower, M Crocker tries; M De Vere 4 goals, D Lockyer field goal) NEW ZEALAND 10 (D Kidwell, L Vainikolo tries; S Faumuina goal). Referee: S Hampstead. Crowd: 21,537.

The Daily Telegraph


cheers bryan..!!

[Joel]

Hey mate, can you please include links for those articles. Tah!