KEY POINTS:
BRISBANE - With the rugby league World Cup barely in New Zealand's grasp, coach Stephen Kearney is already looking to the future.
As huge as the achievement was in knocking over a seemingly invincible Australian side 34-20 in Brisbane last night, Kearney was anxious to prevent it being
a one-off.
"What I want to be able to do is ensure we back up again next year with a real competitive side," he said.
"That's the important thing for me, to ensure that we continue to grow as a team."
A year ago, the Kiwis, under previous coach Gary Kemble, were thrashed 58-0 by the Kangaroos and whitewashed 3-0 by Great Britain.
Now, they have pulled off the biggest coup in New Zealand rugby league history, and something no Kiwi side have managed in 12 previous World Cup competitions going back 54 years.
Kearney said that, added to the New Zealand Warriors' achievement in making the last four in the National Rugby League this year, "it's a real boost for our game".
The Kiwis had been at long odds to beat a Kangaroo side in rampant form over the previous four weeks of the tournament.
But they cut their down error rate and put in a strong defensive effort, while profiting from some uncharacteristic Australian mistakes.
They dominated the second spell and saw the contest swing their way on the back of two key incidents.
Midway through the spell, with New Zealand up just 18-16, Australian fullback Bill Slater, the newly-named International Player of the Year, threw a wild pass behind him metres from his own line.
The ball went not to a teammate, but to Kiwi five-eighth Benji Marshall, who gratefully accepted a gift try.
Then, with 10 minutes to go, the result was virtually sealed with the award of a rare penalty try, after Australian winger Joel Monaghan held back Kiwi fullback Lance Hohaia as Hohaia was chasing a Nathan Fien kick into the in-goal.
English video referee Steve Ganson's ruling in New Zealand's favour and Marshall's simple conversion took the Kiwis out to 28-20.
Kearney believed the match was won and lost in the period immediately after halftime, when the Kiwis trailed 16-12 and had to try to stop Australia from adding further points.
"We didn't need to score in the first 15 minutes, but we couldn't let them score," he said.
"We were really gritty and we dragged them into an arm wrestle and things just flowed on from that."
Slater, who created the first two tries with a brilliant break and superb pass to help Australia to an early 10-0 lead, was later named player of the tournament.
Kangaroo skipper Darren Lockyer, who crossed twice, was named man of the match, a decision that surprised many given that his side had just lost the biggest game on the international calendar by 14 points.
Kearney had no issue with the choice of Lockyer, while at the same time being reluctant to name the player he rated as the Kiwis' best performer.
"I can't single out one bloke," he said. "They all came up with special moments."
The result ended Australia's 33-year stranglehold on the World Cup, which they had lifted six times in the row and nine times in total.
It also ended the Kangaroos' eight-match winning streak in transtasman tests going back to New Zealand's Tri-Nations final victory in 2005.
Australia coach Ricky Stuart - who took over after that Tri-Nations defeat from Wayne Bennett, the Kiwi assistant coach during the World Cup - said there was always the chance of an upset.
He said the Kangaroos hadn't been at their best on the night, had tried to spread the ball too early in the tackle count and should have been able to hold on to their lead.
"To New Zealand's credit they grinded their way back a good part of the second half," he said.
"They were good at it tonight. We were not at our best."
Stuart refused to pin any blame for the loss on Slater's loose pass.
"If I asked Billy Slater to take that out of his game, he wouldn't be the Billy Slater that we all love."
Stuart also told the media they should give the Kiwis due plaudits for their victory.
"I know some of you didn't believe me, but you only have to have one off game and you've lost," he said.
"Show some journalistic ability and promote New Zealand. They were better than us tonight."
- NZPA