Rugby League: Kangaroos use depth charge at Cake Tin

By PETER JESSUP

The Kiwis succumbed to a malaise that has blighted too many of their predecessors in the history of test matches against Australia when they went down 32-24 at Wellington's Cake Tin.

The record reads played 98, won 25, lost 72, drawn one.

The main factor in that is superior player numbers. Australia always have depth, the Kiwis seldom do.

When Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns pulled out, two more experienced internationals, Brett Kimmorley and Trent Barrett, stepped in.

That experience always tells in the late stages. It did in Wellington as it has done at Stadium Australia, Ericsson Stadium and Lang Park in all the big games in recent history.

The only way the Kiwis will get to enjoy regular wins over the Kangaroos is to increase the number of New Zealand players in the NRL, not just in the Warriors, so there are two or three guys pressing to fill the boots and jersey of each incumbent.

The Kiwis started magnificently, Jerry Seuseu smashing the Kangaroos first-tackle attack bullock Shane Webcke with force to shake the ball free and, in following plays, Richard Swain going 10m from dummy-half to score.

Swain converted and kicked a penalty, and ended the night with four from five to prove he's a worthy boot.

Then one of several marginal calls by referee Bill Harrigan went against the Kiwis.

Stephen Kearney came into a tackle on Webcke just as Paul Rauhihi ripped the ball free and charged into open space. The Kiwis were penalised for having two in the strip.

They copped another penalty and Barrett ran to the line then put Matt Gidley in to score. Hasim El Masri converted.

The Kiwis created two other scoring opportunities in the first half that were not converted - a back-flip pass from Stacey Jones when the line was open went to Australian fullback Darren Lockyer, then Henry Fa'afili was put clear down the left side and, with Timana Tahu to beat, should have kicked infield but jinked indecisively. Lack of match practice had removed the instinct that might have got him there.

Jones scored a typical solo try, going around the ruck markers from 15m out.

Nigel Vagana then swooped on a loose ball from Brent Tate and flipped it to Matt Utai who ran home.

At 18-6 up the Kiwis should have held on. Instead, they gifted territory and possession with errors.

The Australians were always going to come back, but after Gidley scored his second through simple slick passing to stretch the defence left, then right, the Kiwis were penalised for offside at the kickoff. Instead of starting the tackle count deep in Kangaroo ground, they were defending 30m off their own line, resulting in Willie Mason charging over off a Gorden Tallis off-load three tackles later.

Swain set up the last first-half points with another scamper from the play-the-ball and a perfect pass to Clinton Toopi on the blindside.

At 22-16 the Kiwis were still in control.

Coach Gary Freeman exhorted veteran Kearney to lift the pack again as they ran out for the second 40. Kearney and Ruben Wiki got up, Seuseu proved himself a true international, Rauhihi proved great potential.

But the others couldn't do it. Out back, Nigel Vagana and Utai made impact, but the rest struggled. David Vaealiki's attack from fullback was contained.

At halftime Kangaroo coach Chris Anderson exhorted his side to start getting some go-forward early in their own sets. They did.

Webcke was brilliant for them, despite being repeatedly dumped in smashing tackles.

Gradually, his strength and that of Craig Fitzgibbon and Steve Menzies told and holes were punched for Tahu to score off his brilliant chip, Scott Hill to roll and spin out of tackles, and Ben Kennedy to barge through after slick passing stretched the Kiwi defence and a last-gasp intercept attempt by Utai didn't come off.

Harrigan robbed their last chance when he ruled a knock-on that wasn't one against Ali Lauiti'iti, and the game ended in a succession of mistakes from exhausted players.

It was good entertainment, even if it did run entirely to script, but you wouldn't have known there were 25,015 watching, given the lack of sustained support for the Kiwis.