The Kangaroos are into the Rugby League World Cup final after a Reece Walsh hat-trick powered them to a 44-12 semi-final win over Samoa at Allianz Stadium on Sunday night.
Australia led 26-2 at half-time and ran in eight tries in front of 41,259 fans to set up a final against New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane next Sunday, NRL.com reported. It was the Kangaroos’ sixth Test win over Samoa from six meetings.
Samoa struck first when Stephen Crichton kicked a penalty goal after the Kangaroos were caught offside, but halfback Tom Dearden dummied his way over from a scrum soon after to open Australia’s account.
Jacob Preston and Tom Trbojevic added tries before Samoa thought they had hit back on the half-hour mark, only for the bunker to rule Francis Manuleleua had knocked on in an aerial contest with Walsh before Crichton dived over. Walsh scored two minutes later, and Bradman Best crossed for his first Test try just before the break.
Samoa prop Spencer Leniu was then sin-binned for dissent towards referee Adam Gee, NRL.com reported.
Walsh makes amends
Crichton scored early in the second half after Walsh dropped a Ronald Volkman bomb, but the Brisbane fullback hit back three minutes later, taking a short ball from Harry Grant and powering through Crichton for his second.
Izack Tago scored for Samoa in the 61st minute before Walsh finished a long-range team try for his hat-trick and Jack Bostock scored his seventh try of the tournament with eight minutes left. Cameron Munster kicked six goals from eight attempts, according to the official International Rugby League match centre.
Read more: Kangaroos Team: Walsh Keeps No.1, Mitchell Recalled for Samoa Semi
‘That’s just Reece’
Walsh celebrated his first try with a backflip. “That’s just Reece, he’s always brings up something that you don’t expect and the backflip was no different,” coach Kevin Walters said, according to AAP. “He probably didn’t need to do that but he did it for some sick kids.”
“Tonight was a really good performance. I still think there’s a bit more in us too, so that’s exciting,” Walters said. “Our middle forwards, I thought they stood up really well, they’ve been questioned and criticised by some people but not within our group.”
Samoa coach Ben Gardiner said his side did not handle the penalty count. “On the back of some of the penalties that were given, we just didn’t react very well on the back of it,” Gardiner said. “Then it was one thing into another and then a try, so it made it really difficult to be able to fight back from that.”
What’s next
The final will be a rematch of the tournament opener in Sydney and the first World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand since 2013. It will be Walters’ last game in charge of the Kangaroos, AAP reported, while captain Isaah Yeo continues to delay surgery on a ruptured pectoral to play in the tournament.
Australia and New Zealand will also meet in the women’s World Cup final next Sunday.
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