Speed kills as New Zealand fall flat in World Cup final fizzer

Fri, 11 Sept, 7:50 pm, Final score, Rabbitohs 10, Knights 20

Sat, 12 Sept, 4:05 pm, Final score, Warriors 16, Dolphins 26

Sat, 12 Sept, 7:50 pm, Final score, Sharks 26, Cowboys 16

Sun, 13 Sept, 4:05 pm, Final score, Panthers 19, Roosters 12

Sat, 19 Sept, 7:50 pm, Final score, Roosters 46, Sharks 10

Sun, 20 Sept, 4:05 pm, Final score, Warriors 10, Knights 12

Fri, 25 Sept, 7:50 pm, Final score, Dolphins 20, Roosters 36

Sun, 27 Sept, 4:00 pm, Final score, Panthers 14, Knights 22

Sun, 4 Oct, 7:30 pm, Final score, Roosters 19, Knights 18

In the lead up to the World Cup final, the match seemed to have all the makings of a classic but nobody must have told New Zealand.

Australia's dominance through their 32-12 victory at Lang Park was built on speed and precision as the Kangaroos cruised home to bury the Kiwis under a mountain of errors.

It turned the final into a fizzer. After all the anticipation and hype, New Zealand let themselves down badly, totally failing to meet the moment while the Kangaroos saved their best for last.

They played like champions and Australia were ruthless in punishing the Kiwis for their lapses, perhaps because they had plenty of practice at it.

Jamayne Isaako's kick off going out on the full and Liam Martin scoring the fastest try in World Cup final history after just 88 seconds before New Zealand had touched the ball, turned out to be the tone setter.

After steadying with some fine opening exchanges where both teams gave as good as they got, it proved to be the aberration as the Kiwis fell into a death spiral from which they never escaped.

From the 15th minute to the 35th minute, New Zealand completed just one set. Errors came thick and fast and there were so many of them — lost balls in contact, passes that went awry, fumbles under the high ball and stone dead drops that wouldn't have looked out of place at park footy.

They dug their own grave, but only after dropping the shovel first.

Meanwhile, the Kangaroos, through Cameron Munster and Harry Grant, seized control of the match like it was their birthright.

Jacob Preston was excellent, as was the Lang Park specialist Bradman Best. But it was the Melbourne duo who decided this game as they ran the show with an experts touch.

Grant used misdirection around the ruck to open up spaces while Munster marshalled the backline magnificently.

He might be wearing the number six jersey, but make no mistake, Munster is the chief organiser of this team and through this tournament he has played his best football in some time.

He has a madcap reputation that he plays up but don't be fooled. Munster can always go back to the wild stuff if he has to, But he also knows how to turn the screws on a battling opponent as tightly as anyone.

With Tom Dearden and Reece Walsh in tow, the Aussies upped the pace until New Zealand were gasping for air. And on a night where Brisbane's humidity made it feel like you were living inside someone's armpit, the need for oxygen became an enemy.

It played towards Australia's strengths, which is the quickness and versatility of their spine, while robbing New Zealand of any opportunity to get their vaunted forward pack into the game.

All that power and size just made it hard for them to move and some of their most important players left their best football at home.

Erin Clark looked more like the fringe first grader of his Gold Coast days than the two-time defending Dally M lock of the year that he's become at the Warriors while Kodi Nikorima and Briton Nikora were targeted mercilessly until they cracked.

They will forever count this night as one of the most disappointing of their careers.

It's not because they lost — there is never any shame in suffering defeat against Australia — but because they did not get near the limits of their abilities.

Chances like this do not come along often. This will likely be the last World Cup for players like Joseph Tapine, James Fisher-Harris and Jahrome Hughes and the team missed a real shot at taking home the trophy.

They have a side capable of being the best, and that's a blessing. But if you can't access those capabilities when they matter most, it becomes a curse.

By contrast, Australia seemingly always find a way to do it. And it's not just through players like Munster, Walsh and Grant, all of whom have been consistently brilliant through the tournament.

Kotoni Staggs, a controversial selection at right centre, had his best game since he was dropped from the New South Wales Origin side while Tino Fa'asuamaleaui went a big way towards restoring the forward pack's reputation.

That reputation took a bit of a hit early in the tournament and Australia were clearly listening.

It was one of several criticisms Walsh mentioned in his post-match interview with Channel 7, where he said Australia had proved people wrong with their victory.

Martin had a similar line, saying there were plenty of doubters throughout the World Cup.

Regardless of whether you believe that or not — Australia were the bookies favourite the whole way through the tournament — it's clear the Kangaroos believed it and the power of that belief was on full show.

It helped them put in a performance that was, to a man, worthy of a World Cup final.

They have conquered their enemies, real or imagined, by playing their best when it mattered most.

That sounds simple, but that's not the same as being easy. Just ask New Zealand.