Kangaroos stand tall to make it a World Cup four-peat

The green and gold stranglehold on the World Cup silverware continues after doubles to Jack Bostock and Liam Martin propelled the Kangaroos to a 32-12 victory New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday night.

The last time the Kangaroos tasted defeat in a World Cup Final was at the hands of the Kiwis in 2008 but they have well and truly exorcised those demons with triumphs in Manchester in 2013 and 2022 and Brisbane in 2017 and 2026.

In front of a heaving crowd of 52,461 it was the Kangaroos taking control of the middle through Isaah Yeo, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and Cameron Murray before Tom Dearden and Harry Grant added the classy touches in a five-tries-to-two victory.

After the emotion of the anthems and the haka, the Kiwis came back to earth with a thud when Jamayne Isaako sent the opening kick-off sailing over the dead ball line on the full to hand Australia a penalty on halfway.

It took the Kangaroos just two minutes to make New Zealand pay when Martin crossed for the quickest try in World Cup history courtesy of some slick dummy half play from Grant.

The Storm hooker faked left and went right to a rampaging Martin who powered over the top of Kodi Nikorima to slam the ball down. Reluctant goalkicker Cameron Munster added the extras for a 6-0 lead.

Come the 12th minute and the Kiwis hit back when tryscoring freak Casey McLean crossed for his ninth of the tournament after some good lead-up from Isaiah Papali'i and Nikorima.

The conversion from Isaako took his tally of Test points to 227, giving him the record for New Zealand as he went past Shaun Johnson (225).

Midway through the half the Kangaroos regained the lead when Bostock collected his eighth try of the tournament thanks to a slick tap-on from Bradman Best.

The Kangaroos made it 12-6 in the 23rd minute when Ronaldo Mulitalo was penalised for an escort play and Munster knocked over his second goal of the night.

With eight minutes remaining in a pulsating first half, Best came up with a huge play when he ran down Jahrome Hughes from behind and slapped the ball loose on halfway after the Kiwi No.7 had threatened to break away.

That put Australia on the attack and Best scored in the next set as he sliced off his left foot and left Dane Gagai in his wake to make it 18-6.

Down by 12 and needing a response the Kiwis came up empty when Erin Clark was caught on the last tackle just 10m out and an opportunity went begging.

Another big play in the 38th minute when Jacob Preston stripped the ball from Naufahu Whyte in a one-on-one tackle and by the end of the set it was Martin crashing over for his second try off a Dearden short ball.

With their World Cup dreams hanging by a thread the last thing the Kiwis could afford was an early error but that's what Gagai came up with and the Kangaroos cashed in when Reece Walsh danced his way past three defenders to send Tom Trbojevic over to make it 28-6.

To compound his kick-off clanger at the start of the match, Isaako came up with a cold drop 10 minutes into the second half but this time the Kangaroos couldn't make him pay and the Kiwis hung on.

With 22 minutes to play the Kiwis looked to have hit back when Mulitalo climbed high with Trbojevic and brought the ball down over the tryline but replays showed the Kiwis flyer had lost control in the contest before regathering.

Refusing to lie down, the Kiwis snared their second try in the 66th minute when Nikorima grubbered expertly through the line for Papali'i to follow through and score. Isaako's conversion made it 28-12 to give Kiwi fans a glimmer of hope but an error by Nikora in the set straight after points took the air out of the balloon.

With six minutes to play and the game in the bag, James Tedesco was sent into the fray by coach Kevin Walters to savour another World Cup triumph.

In what will be his last Test match, the man who led Australia to victory in the 2022 World Cup Final over Samoa was on the field as Best delivered a glorious flick pass for player of the match Bostock to dot down in the left-hand corner to ice the victory.

The Kangaroos have now won their last 23 World Cup matches, the last four World Cup crowns and 13 titles overall as they delivered on their promise to step up on the biggest stage.