Rugby League Coaching Manuals

By Glenn Jackson SMH - The Australian juggernaut rolls on, and the only thing that can stop the Kangaroos from lifting the World Cup trophy on November 22 appears to be … a Brisbane courier.

Huh? Yes, on the night Australia pummelled the Kumuls, the World Cup trophy was missing, presumed to be in the hands of a courier who, also presumably, does not realise the significance of the precious cargo in their possession.

A computer meltdown, the Herald has been told, has meant the exact whereabouts of the trophy, which has gone missing before (although on that occasion, when it turned up in a rubbish tip near Bradford, it was AWL for almost 20 years), is unknown.

What is known is that the Australians' hot form continued in hot country. Debutant David Williams scored a hat-trick amongst seven tries and the chances of them failing to win the World Cup are slim. But the Kumuls took it to the Australians, and ultimately, it took the Kangaroos until well into the contest before it could be described as over.

The Kumuls hit and drove and scrambled and generally showered themselves in a lot of glory even if the points were showering against them from their opposite numbers.

At least they got a try, the second-last one of the contest, and it attracted the most rousing cheer of the night; centre Menzie Yere doing extremely well to pick up Rod Griffin's grubber under significant pressure. Better late than never, and the players swamped Yere, a late addition to the side, after the try was given the green light.

It wasn't the only time they pressured the Australian line, but as you would expect, much of the game was spent in their half. Early on, the ball seemed to follow winger David Moore, the Gold Coast youngster, and for the most part, both luck and pluck followed him, too.

After four minutes, he leapt high above grand-final winger Williams to save a try from five-eighth Terry Campese's bomb. Another bomb five minutes later produced the reverse result; Williams took the ball and gave the Australians their first try and Williams his first international try.

The Australians in the crowd no doubt wanted more, but they got Moore; after Darius Boyd busted through the PNG defensive line, sending Anthony Watmough try-bound, he was ankle tapped by the winger and lost the ball. About the same time, Campese made his way up the tunnel after a typically aggressive hit by his former teammate, Neville Costigan, split the five-eighth's head open and left him dazed.

But the Australians weren't confused. After 22 minutes, they put together an attractive piece of play before centre Joel Monaghan twisted and turned to force the ball as Australia started to force the issue.

"Ruthless boys," one Australian player was heard to say.

And from then on, they were. They spent the rest of the half in the Kumuls' end, with Monaghan (26th minute) and Williams (35th) scoring again.

The second half began horribly for the Kumuls, when ageless - literally - Stanley Gene's kick deep in his own quarter found only Scott Prince, a replacement for Campese who was taken to hospital for some precautionary X-rays.

The Kumuls were brave and, as the penalty count reflected, a little cheeky as well. But ultimately, they were outplayed. Gene was chaired off the park by teammates after the final whistle, which has now sounded on their campaign as well, but as he has proved time and time again, they will be back a little older, and wiser.

Who knows? The trophy may be in their custody one day, rather than in a Brisbane courier's.