League: Kiwis cruise to crushing victory

Shaun Kenny-Dowall of the Kiwis is tackled by Michael Mark of Papua New Guinea. Photo / Getty Images

Kiwis 74
Papua New Guinea 12

New Zealand made easy work of underdogs Papua New Guinea tonight to score a record 76-12 victory in a Four Nations rugby league test in Rotorua.

The win, which featured hat-tricks for centre Junior Sa'u and winger Sam Perrett, marked the most points the Kiwis had amassed against the Kumuls and it also equalled their biggest margin over PNG.

The result also means the Kiwis, who scored 13 tries to two, will confirm their place in the final in Brisbane on November 13 if England fail to beat defending champions Australia in Melbourne tomorrow night.

Skipper Benji Marshall said it was a solid effort by his team ahead of their last pool match against the Kangaroos in Auckland next Saturday,

"I thought we were pretty disciplined with our game plan" he told Sky Sport.

"We stuck with playing them up the middle. It was a good result. PNG dug deep and to score two tries will be like winning the World Cup for them back home."

However, for PNG skipper Paul Aiton, two tries didn't make up for what he described as a disappointing display.

"We just have to find that little something that wasn't there tonight,
" he said.

Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney had asked his players for a lift in performance from their 24-10 win over England last weekend and they were quick out of the blocks.

They were already 12-0 up after just seven minutes, forcing PNG to make 37 tackles, before the Kumuls managed to get use of the football for the first time.

They continued to dominate possession and territory over the course of the first half to be up 46-0 at the interval.

With the score at 56-0 early in the second spell, Kearney decided to pull Marshall off and give his key playmaker a rest.

Marshall's departure coincided with a comeback by PNG, who had the consolation of getting their first points of the competition after having been whitewashed by the Kangaroos 42-0 last weekend.

Perrett, in for the injured Manu Vatuvei, got the Kiwis going with the first of his team's 13 tries.

Second rower Simon Mannering forced his way over for the second, before lock Jeremy Smith got the first of his brace.

Smith got his second shortly after, following a strong run by hooker Thomas Leuluai.

A crossfield grubber by halfback Nathan Fien was pounced on by Sa'u, before it was fullback Lance Hohaia's turn to dot down.

Next it was replacement forward Greg Eastwood who strolled over thanks to an offload by hometown boy Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, before back-up dummy halfback Issac Luke showed great persistence to get across just before the halftime hooter.

When play restarted, Sa'u finished off an accurate backline move, before the Newcastle midfielder completed his hat-trick with a strong run down the left-hand channel.

It was soon 62-0 when Perrett crossed for his second.

But with Marshall off, the Kiwis lost some of their shape and PNG took advantage to grab two quick tries.

Centre Emmanuel Yere got the first after the Kumuls got a rare repeat set, before five-eighth Glen Nami scored after a long-range attack that feature a slick chip and regather by hooker Charlie Wabo.

Perrett pulled in a Fien bomb to complete his hat-trick and steady the ship, before winger Jason Nightingale and second rower Sika Manu also added their names to the scoresheet.

NEW ZEALAND 76 (S Perrett 3 J Sau 3 J Smith 2 G Eastwood L Hohaia I Luke S Mannering S Manu J Nightingale tries B Marshall 8 I Luke 2 goals) bt PAPUA NEW GUINEA 12 (G Nami M Yere tries R Tongia 2 goals) at Rotorua International Stadium. Referee: Ben Cummins.

- NZPA