Kiwis 20
Kangaroos 20
Australian players admit they were "exposed" by New Zealand yesterday and have begun preparing to meet the Kiwis again in league's Four Nations final in three weeks.
Australia needed a 78th-minute try by hooker Cameron Smith to salvage a 20-20 draw at the Stoop after Stephen Kearney's side looked certain to join England on top of the table after the first round of matches when second rower Frank Pritchard barged over in the corner with eight minutes to play.
While the relieved Australians drew on their previous Houdini acts in England to snatch a point from the game, they departed the arena straight away and left the Kiwis to perform a lap of gratitude as some of the 12,360 Antipodeans on hand lingered at the London venue.
"The certainly played very well, they exposed us a fair bit," Australia half Johnathan Thurston said.
"We were probably happy to get away with the point. They've already had a game under their belt but they were a lot better. In the past they've started slow and come home strong. But they were certainly on their game tonight."
The general consensus after the high standard, thrill-a-minute contest was that the Southern Hemisphere nations were short-priced favourites to qualify for the Elland Road decider.
Stephen Kearney's side scored first through rookie Frank-Paul Nuausala in the fifth minute, off Adam Blair's pass, and it was immediately evident that the sides were on a level footing in skill, fitness and sheer talent.
Australia's response came through debutant Brett Morris - after hooker Smith's superb pass to Greg Inglis - nine minutes before halftime and it was 6-6 at the break.
"I described it to the boys at halftime: 'You're in a test in every true sense of the word'," Australia coach Tim Sheens said.
Fullback Lance Hohaia blundered when Thurston stole the ball off him two minutes into the second half to score but later made amends.
Second-test centre Junior Sau forced his way over in the 56th minute - Issac Luke's attempted goal hit an upright and missed - before New Zealand Warriors utility Hohaia dashed over off a scrum win soon afterwards.
With second-rower Frank Pritchard's 72nd-minute score in the corner, the Kiwis looked home.
But winger Bryson Goodwin's conversion attempt missed and, according to Australia captain Darren Lockyer: "Five minutes to go in the in-goal, I was thinking about the escapes we've had over here."
The short kick-off came off, referee Steve Ganson gave the Australians a penalty and Smith bustled his way over with Thurston converting.
Asked if he was surprised how many times the Kiwis came back, Sheens admitted: "Yes, I suppose I was. I thought they'd fall off a bit at the back end of the game."
Kearney was pleased with the effort of his new-look side. "A lot of the performances tonight from guys that people said were inexperienced ... the confidence those guys will get out of it will do us a world of good."
The result means England needs one more victory after Friday's 34-12 win over France to qualify for the final.
The Kiwis left last night for Toulouse, where they will play France this weekend.
