Tri-Nations 06: Game One; Kiwis vs Kangaroos

[jake86]

Hopefully this will be close

The roos have a better backline, but the forwards are fairly even. If our forwards can match theirs, we should win. I like the fact we have Smith, Thurston and Lockyer in the halves. They have played the last 6 origins together, and by now should know each others game's fairly well.

But we havnt started well in previous years. I guess it may be that whoever plays better as a team will win. On paper, we should've won last years series by plenty, but the kiwis smashed us in the final because they wanted it more, and had a team that gelled at the right.

Aussies by 12, 30-18. You heard it here first!

[Robbie_Dee]

This game is so good 20 minutes in! Everythings hapening...Mason Getting snapped in a tackle :box: ...Fights :box: ...Camera men getting knocked over :box: ...Kiwi's passing it straight to Thurston...Action packed! This is a great game! Australia looking pretty good atm..lets hope we can keep it together

My highlight so far...Mason getting fired up during the harker! that was funny as. Kidwill got a bit of payback with his hit up on him but. lol

[Boofhead]

Hopefully this will be close

The roos have a better backline, but the forwards are fairly even. If our forwards can match theirs, we should win. I like the fact we have Smith, Thurston and Lockyer in the halves. They have played the last 6 origins together, and by now should know each others game's fairly well.

But we havnt started well in previous years. I guess it may be that whoever plays better as a team will win. On paper, we should've won last years series by plenty, but the kiwis smashed us in the final because they wanted it more, and had a team that gelled at the right.

Aussies by 12, 30-18. You heard it here first!

:lol!: Nice guess!

[Poida]

i like how thurstons playing. he was alive twice before hunts try

[Robbie_Dee]

GASNIER!!! what a try...

australia are just on fire...thurston, converting the tries very nicely! I think Lockyer needs to see the ball a bit more though...i havnt seen him too many times with it.

The referee is doing a farely decent job too.

[Poida]

i like the fact they give thurston and smith the ball.
lockyer shouldnt get the ball heaps

[Robbie_Dee]

lockyer shouldnt get the ball heaps

wtf, of co**** he should, hes the best player on the park tonight...

[Poida]

wtf, of co**** he should, hes the best player on the park tonight...

i didnt say at all i just said he shouldnt get too much ball.
i like the fact they give thurston and smith the ball.

[Robbie_Dee]

The final score was 30-18 australia! put in a great effort, but lost the intensity in the 2nd half which was a bit of a shame...i think the best player out there tonight was thurston despite a couple of loose passes. He put in a great game offering australia many attacking plays.

[~Wild Child~]

Aussie Aussie Aussie :win: Hunt, Thurston and Locky were the best players on the field tonight

[Poida]

sweet now cant wait for rest of games to finish.

[~Wild Child~]

Karmichael Hunt :win: MOTM

[Grimmace]

Kangaroos bounce Kiwis in Tri Nations

Saturday, October 14, 2006 - 7:22 PM

Having been given first crack at Andrew John's halfback jersey, Johnathan Thurston made the most of the opportunity to orchestrate Australia's 30-18 win over New Zealand in a spiteful Tri Nations opener at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland.

Thurston had a hand in four of the Kangaroos five tries and kicked five goals from six attempts in a man-of-the-match performance against the defending champions.

Fullback Karmichael Hunt scored two tries, but the game will be remembered for the explosive defence in a game which threatened to erupt on several occasions.

The tone for the match was set before kick-off, when Bulldogs enforcer Willie Mason stared down the haka and seemed to mouth an obscenity.

Mason, who came off the bench despite being named in the starting side, was targeted every time he touched the ball, with Kiwis enforcer David Kidwell crunching him in one of the most ferocious shoulder charges of the season.

The game exploded in the 23rd minute, a stoush between three quarters Matt King and Manu Vatuvei sparking an all-in brawl.

King came up swinging after Vatuvei pushed him over the sideline and into an advertising boarding, with a crowd of 17,887 baying for blood.

Makeshift pivot Nigel Vagana scored the opening try of the series, catching the markers napping on a 15-metre scoot from dummy half.

There was some doubt over the grounding of the football, but video referees Ian McIntosh and Steve Nash ruled a benefit of the doubt try for the home side.

The Kangaroos hit back with two tries to fullback Hunt in the space of just four minutes, with playmakers Thurston and Darren Lockyer instrumental in both.

Lockyer set up the first with a sublime long pass, while his halves partner opened up the defence with a short gem.

And then Mark Gasnier extended the halftime advantage to 20-6 when he scored a 90m try against the run of play just a minute before the main break.

Interchange hooker Jerome Ropati raised hopes of a comeback when he crossed midway through the stanza, but Mark O'Meley cancelled out his try with one of his own seven minutes later.

Debutant Greg Inglis sealed the result five minutes from time after latching onto a cut-out ball from Thurston, with Vatuvei scoring a late consolation try.

Australia 30 (Karmichael Hunt 2 Mark Gasnier Mark O'Meley Greg Inglis tries; Johnathan Thurston 5 goals)
New Zealand 18 (Nigel Vagana Jerome Ropati Manu Vatuvei tries; Stacey Jones 3 goals).
Referee: Ashley Klein (Aus).
Crowd: 17,887, at Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
Source: AAP

[Robbie_Dee]

I missed the motm announcement on telly...michel said it went to hunt...but in the article it says it went to thurston...

[Poida]

nope it went to hunt. although he only got 2 tries i say thurston orlocky shoulda got it