A last-minute try by Blake Ferguson capped off Australia's 16-0 victory over New Zealand Friday, with a depleted Kiwi side ending their two-year winning streak against their trans-Tasman rivals. Australia managed to keep the pressure on despite losing Fijian-born debutante Semi Radradra to the sin bin some six minutes into the game and used the first half to set up their win in the low-scoring match.
Radradra was sent off for 10 minutes for a professional foul on Kevin Proctor, putting the Kangaroos one man down. Darius Boyd nonetheless managed to crash over the line to score the first try of the night at Newcastle's Hunter Stadium before Radradra's return.
Johnathan Thurston missed the conversion but scored a penalty goal later in the half before his teammate Greg Inglis launched himself over the line to make it 10-0 at half time. The New Zealanders had won their last three outings against the Australians but it was a depleted Kiwi side to contest the annual Anzac Test. The visitors were missing big names such as Kieran Foran, Manu Vatuvei and Isaac Luke while Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Shaun Kenny-Dowall were out due to injury, putting Kiwi hopes on some Shaun Johnson magic to win. The Kiwi defence line managed to hold off the Australians for much of the second half with the score unchanged until a late tackle by Sam Moa on Thurston gifted the Australians a penalty, with Cameron Smith booting the goal.
It took until nearly the 80th minute for Ferguson to score the third try of the night and make it 16-0 in the Kangaroos first outing under new coach Mal Meninga. Thurston described the game as "very scrappy", saying the Australians had missed opportunities in the second half. Teammate Sam Thaiday also praised the New Zealanders' defence in a match in which Kiwi Adam Blair was placed on report for a chicken wing tackle midway through the second half. A disappointed New Zealand captain Jesse Bromwich said his team had concentrated too much on defence at the start of the game.
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