On Thursday, October 15, 2026, the Rugby League World Cup kicked off in Sydney with a thrilling encounter at Allianz Stadium, where Australia edged New Zealand 24-22 in front of more than 40,000 fans—the largest Test match crowd in the city for 50 years.
Bostock’s Hat-Trick Rescues Opening Night
Australia debutant Jack Bostock stole the show with a stunning hat-trick, culminating in a match-winning try with just five minutes remaining on the clock. The Dolphins winger wrestled a Cameron Munster kick away from Jamayne Isaako in the air to secure the 24-22 victory, echoing his earlier aerial success. Bostock also contributed a length-of-the-field intercept try in the first half after reading a lofted pass from Jahrome Hughes, keeping the defending champions in the contest despite being thoroughly outplayed for long stretches.
“Bossy was crazy tonight, and without him making big plays, we wouldn’t be in the position that we were,” Australia full-back Reece Walsh told Channel Seven, praising his young teammate’s composure under pressure.
New Zealand Forward Dominance and Ponga’s Brilliance
The Kiwis will likely view this result as a missed opportunity after their powerhouse forward pack physically dismantled the Kangaroos. New Zealand dominated territory and possession through the first period, running for more than 1,000 metres—roughly 300 more than Australia—while limiting the hosts to an average set distance of just 37 metres compared to their own 49 metres.
👏 JACK BOSTOCK WITH THE MATCH-WINNER!🔥A hat-trick for Bostock, capped off with this decisive try to seal a thrilling 24–22 victory for Australia over New Zealand in Round 1 of the 2026 IRL Men’s Rugby League World Cup! 🏉💥 pic.twitter.com/xbyoqEPRQA
— https://x.com/IntlRugbyLeague/status/2110732718958895185
Full-back Kalyn Ponga stood out as the focal point of the New Zealand attack, overcoming a painful arm injury to score two tries. With 20 minutes remaining, Ponga sliced through the defensive line, brushed off Munster, and stepped around Walsh to plant the ball down despite his shorts slipping mid-run. However, Ponga was eventually forced off the field late in the match with his arm injury, casting a shadow over his status as the tournament progresses toward the final on November 15.
Walsh and the Counter-Punching Kangaroos
While New Zealand controlled the physical battle, Australia capitalised on decisive defensive plays and rare attacking openings. Tom Trbojevic snared a crucial intercept try in the first half to level the scores at 10-10 at the break, punishing a stray pass intended for Ronaldo Mulitalo. Later in the second half, Walsh ignited the touchline with a sweeping run in the 68th minute, carving out a half-break before flicking an offload to set up a try that narrowed New Zealand’s lead to just two points.
New Zealand captain James Fisher-Harris acknowledged the relentless nature of the contest after the siren. That’s Test footy. For the full 80 we were battling. Much respect to Australia – a few moments went their way,
he told Sky Sports.
Tournament Context and What Lies Ahead
The opening fixture delivered on pre-tournament predictions from former internationals like Corey Parker and Aaron Wood, who warned fans that a revamped State of Origin eligibility rule would elevate tier-one challengers like New Zealand, Tonga, and Samoa. The rule change allowed players such as boom centre Casey McLean—who scored New Zealand’s opening try—to represent their nations of birth.
The men’s tournament continues across Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea, with Samoa facing France on Friday, October 16, ahead of the next wave of group matches culminating in the semi-finals on November 7 and the final on November 15.
