KIWIS 'KANGA' HAMMERED

AUSTRALIA's world champion league team maintained their dominance with a convincing four try to two, 28-10 victory over the Kiwis at Wellington's WestpacTrust Stadium tonight.

At home under fiesty new coach Gary 'whizz' Freeman and with a heavyweight pack and powerhouse bench the Kiwis aimed to impose their will on the Aussies who may have been jaded after a torrid State of Origin series.

From the outset the big Kiwi forwards rumbled at their green and gold rivals with props Craig Smith, Jerry Seuseu, Ali Laui'titi and David Solomona all charging at full velocity at the Kangaroos.

Yet, proving their worth as world champs, Australia simply soaked up the Kiwi pressure with aggressive, accurate and non-stop defence. And after 10 minutes of surviving wave after wave of Kiwi attack the Kangaroos refused to be cowed and when, against the run of play, a mistake saw the ball turned over and centre Mathew Gidley was soon striding over for the test's opening try.

With Ryan Girdler's conversion the Kangaroos were 6-0 ahead despite being under heavy pressure for the entire opening gambit of the game. Then the professionalism of the ockers took over, and while they failed to play their very best, the fact New Zealand made stupid mistakes, lacked cohesion, fire and concentration, made it a suprisingly easy win for Australia over the usually super pysched up Kiwis.

This apparent lack of passion from a Freeman coached side was an enigma while skipper Nathan Cayless appeared to have left his form in Parramatta.

A Darren Lockyear try plus another couple of Girdler goals saw the 'Roos leading 16-0 at halftime.

Unfortunately the intensity of the game failed to rise much from the depths of the first half as an altogether disappointing international got worse. Australia's effort slipped as if they realised they could change down and still get past New Zealand's ineffectual challenge.

Two tries to Robbie Paul and David Vaealiki earned the Kiwis their 10 points while flying Bronco wingman and test debutant Lote Tiquri and playmaker extraordinaire Trent Barrett dotted down for the Aussies to secure a less than memorable 28-10 Kangaroo victory.

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