Rugby League: Aussies' defence the key

By PETER JESSUP

Kangaroo captain Brad Fittler credited his side's non-stop defence for the 28-10 win over the Kiwis in Wellington last night.

"I always knew we had the side to win, but I wondered if we would be up for the game," Fittler said after what will be his last test against the Kiwis if he sticks to his representative retirement call.

"I'm that relieved you can't believe it," he said after leading a crunching defensive smother.

Fittler said he knew after the Kangaroos repelled the first few minutes of Kiwi attack that they would win, "and from then on it was just fun to play."

"If they had scored early it might have changed the whole game. But everyone was aiming up, working for each other."

Coach Chris Anderson said his side "grew another leg" when they repeatedly held the Kiwis off their tryline in the first eight minutes.

The seniors in the team had gone well and the new caps had lifted.

Kiwi coach Gary Freeman's face showed that he was gutted, but he responded well in defeat. "I was disappointed we tried to force the pass, but they're enterprising blokes.

"There were times we should have taken the tackle instead of offloading and we got the worst result instead of the best."

Kiwi captain Nathan Cayless said: "We gave away too much easy ball and there's too much class in that side to do that."