Ninety seconds was all it took: the Kangaroos crush the Kiwis 32-12 to win a fourth straight World Cup

The Kangaroos are world champions again. Australia beat New Zealand 32-12 in the men’s Rugby League World Cup final at Lang Park in Brisbane on Sunday night, the country’s fourth straight tournament win and its 13th men’s title overall.

It was over almost before it began. New Zealand’s kick-off went dead, and from the restart Harry Grant sent Liam Martin over from dummy half after about 90 seconds. Cameron Munster converted, and Australia never trailed.

The Kiwis did level at 6-6 when centre Casey McLean stepped through the defence and Jamayne Isaako converted. Then the match got away from them. Jack Bostock scored down a short side, Munster kicked a penalty after an escort, Bradman Best stepped past a rushing Dane Gagai, and Martin scored his second just before the break. The half-time score was 24-6.

What happened after half-time?

Reece Walsh broke the line soon after the restart and put Tom Trbojevic in at the corner. New Zealand lost McLean after he was checked for a head knock early in the second half, and had a Ronaldo Mulitalo try ruled out by the bunker for a knock-on.

Isaiah Papali’i scored from a Kodi Nikorima grubber after the hour, and Isaako converted to make it 28-12. Bostock finished it off late, taking an offload from Best for his second try. Munster finished with three conversions and a penalty goal.

Why was this night different for Tedesco?

Coach Kevin Walters sent James Tedesco on in the closing minutes, and the former captain confirmed afterwards that it was his farewell to the Test arena. “This will be my last time wearing the Australian jersey,” he said.

What did the two sides say?

Captain Isaah Yeo said there had been a lot of noise around the side during the tournament, but that Australia had been chasing its best performance. “I think we found it,” he said, and called it the best World Cup yet.

For New Zealand, prop Naufahu Whyte was blunt: “We weren’t good enough.”

How big is Australia’s grip on the game?

Very. Australia has now won every men’s World Cup since 2013, and the women’s side has won four in a row as well. The Jillaroos’ 34-10 win earlier in the day, built on Jaime Chapman’s first-half hat-trick, means one country holds both trophies again, with the same opponent beaten in both finals.

VNN will update this story as more is confirmed.