Chris Rattue: Kiwis' glory delivered on a forward pass

Nathan Fien. File photo / Getty Images

Australia were robbed - no doubt about it. I'll happily celebrate yet another Kiwis victory in a final over the Kangaroos, a result which has further tipped over league's two-team pecking order.

Steve Kearney and co have given a nice polish to their World Cup crown. Kiwi rugby league hasn't ridden so high for more than half a century. The balance of power has definitely shifted. We have had three dramatic finals to savour since 2005.

But really - the final tryscoring act on Saturday night put the Four Nations tournament's credibility in the dock.

Nathan Fien's try in a ruggedly pulsating final at Brisbane was laughable thanks to a humongous forward pass from Jason Nightingale that went undetected.

The Kiwis' growing reputation, through winning the Tri-Nations and World Cup titles over the past five years, probably played a part in the nobbling of the Kangaroos.

Referees are persuaded by reputations. Papua New Guinea wouldn't have got away with it.

We're not talking a little bit forward, like the French pass the All Blacks whinged about in the last World Cup, or the one Stephen Donald gave to Andy Ellis at Murrayfield.

This was the Big Whopper - a nine-metre job. This pass was hurled forward like a Joe Montana Hail Mary.

International league officiating reached a nadir with two other incorrect try decisions, but the Nightingale lark was in a league of its own.

The Kiwi wing released the ball just inside the Aussie 20-metre line.

Kangaroo captain Darren Lockyer may have just touched the ball next, about seven metres in front of where Nightingale let the pass go. Benji Marshall then recovered the ball close to the 10-metre line.

Even Fien's mythical Kiwi granny could have spotted this loopy forward pass, but not Tony Archer and his mates.

You can throw Einstein's theory of relativity and all those convoluted passing-with-momentum concepts into this argument and you still only get one answer - a massive forward pass.

Even on momentum, the point at which Lockyer may have touched the ball was still way ahead of where Nightingale had slid to after releasing the ball.

Australia should be filthy, but as the big brother league nation they've got to cop this on the chin.

To rub salt into the wound, Archer called a forward pass on Australia from the resulting kick-off.

Apart from that, Marshall was an attacking genius yet again. He is the best rugby playmaker - league or union - I have seen. He is more capable of destroying a defence than Wally Lewis, Mark Ella or Daniel Carter.

You can laugh all you like at the suggestion Marshall tops the great Lewis. But no one has pulled off the capers that Marshall regards as par for the course, although no one dominated a game like the powerful Lewis, who also had a huge on-field personality.

Interesting capers don't come into the picture for the Scottish rugby side, who are filled with blokes more suited to tossing cabers.

What plodders. They play like the Welsh on tranquillisers.

Most of the Scots don't look like footballers in the way they run or pass although mind you, nor do the English.

You had to laugh during the build-up when the All Blacks put out their usual guff about respecting Scotland as genuine opponents. Does anyone ever believe this tosh?

This game was a case of great atmosphere, shame about the rugby contest.

New Zealand's rugby will always destroy the Scots.

This is a paper-scissors-rock deal. The Scots may give other sides a run for their money, but the All Blacks negate their strength and have way too much speed.

The Scots' ball skills are laughable and they were only saved further embarrassment on the scoreboard by their slowness and predictability, which enabled them to deny New Zealand possession.

Had they taken genuine attacking risks, the All Blacks would have scored plenty more from turnovers.

The game did go towards proving one thing.

Sonny Bill Williams was sensational with his offloads. He's on the way to becoming a critical part of the World Cup plans and adds a fantastic new dimension to rugby. He is also a PR star for the code.

Australia could do with a Sonny Bill. The Wallabies are too small and physically weak all over the park. Their Super teams are not producing test class footballers.

Robbie Deans' team can steel themselves for the odd famous victory, but they are too easily exhausted and quickly crash back to earth.

Weekend winner:

Sonny Bill

What to watch:

Sonny Bill versus Ireland ... hopefully.