Australia's Reece Walsh was pushed to the limit as the Kangaroos edged New Zealand 24-22 in a dramatic Men's Rugby League World Cup opener in Sydney. Walsh, returning from an ankle injury after eight weeks out, produced a try-saving tackle on Kalyn Ponga in the first half, then scored with a sensational 60-metre burst that set up Australia's last-gasp win. Afterwards, coach Kevin Walters revealed that Walsh was cramping and vomiting, adding that his nickname in the squad is "Chucker".
New Zealand's night ended on a bitter note. Ponga, who switched his international allegiance to New Zealand before the tournament, scored two tries but played on for around 20 minutes with a suspected broken arm picked up in a tackle with Cameron Munster. He was almost helped off the pitch shortly before hat-trick hero Jack Bostock scored Australia's winning try.
The Kangaroos also showed plenty of grit. Mitchell Moses tried to run off a calf issue before being forced off just after half-time, while captain Isaah Yeo delayed surgery on a pectoral injury to take part in the tournament. Walters and Yeo both praised Walsh's performance, with Yeo calling his return after a long layoff a "massive effort".
New Zealand coach Stacey Jones said Ponga would undergo scans before any decision on his World Cup future. The outcome of those checks will determine whether one of the tournament's biggest stars can keep playing.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing