League: Tri-Nations opener sets standard, says Bennett

1.00pm - By ROBERT LOWE

Australian coach Wayne Bennett says the 16-16 draw with New Zealand in Auckland on Saturday has set the standard for the remainder of the Tri-Nations rugby league series.

The two sides will meet again in London on Sunday morning (NZ time) in the second round of the tournament.

The contest between the trans-Tasman rivals at a wet and windy North Harbour Stadium had many moments of drama and ended with a field goal shootout that failed to add to the scoreline.

The result maintained the Kiwis' good record against the Kangaroos at the venue, including three wins and just one loss.

The Kangaroos had started the match as favourites, and Bennett described the draw as a fair reflection of how the test had panned out.

"We both had our very good moments and it was a very good game of football," he said.

"The standard we set, it's only going to get better, I tell you. It's something we can all look forward to."

As with the Kiwis, the match was the first in some weeks for a number of Kangaroos, and Bennett said they would benefit from the run.

"I said we would be far off our best and the New Zealanders are in the same boat," he said.

"I didn't expect it all to come together. Last year we came here and got comprehensively beaten," he said in reference to the Kangaroos side coached by Chris Anderson.

"I thought we did okay to get a draw, because the New Zealanders were very committed and played some really good football."

Bennett said the intensity and the ball movement on show was remarkable, given the difficult conditions.

New Zealand coach Daniel Anderson rejected a suggestion the draw had opened up the Tri-Nations series.

"We thought we would be going over to England with a win," he said.

"We didn't think it's blown the competition wide open, because we thought we were in the competition all the time."

Anderson said the Kiwis would have to play well in England, where, like Australia, they will meet Great Britain twice before the tournament final on November 27.

Great Britain would be as tough on their own soil as the Kiwis were at home.

"But we feel we're a competitive unit and we're a pretty tight-knit bunch of players and friends."

Anderson said more important than the draw and the competition point gained was the Kiwis' attitude and performance.

The New Zealanders had hung in after the Australians jumped to a 16-6 lead midway through the first half with three quick tries.

"Sometimes you have to hang in, the momentum is against you and you really do hang on," he said.

"It's mental more than physical and I thought we did very, very well."

Meanwhile, lock Sonny Bill Williams, who lived up to his growing reputation with a performance that belied his 19 years, said New Zealand heads never dropped, despite the Kiwis falling 10 points behind.

"We've been there before," he said.

"I've been there with Canterbury. At halftime, Daniel Anderson just gave us a good couple of words about what we needed to do and we stuck to the task."

Williams said he was looking forward to his first trip to England.

The draw against Australia was "one step in the right direction and hopefully we can get them next week".

- NZPA