Australia

Before this match an opening ceremony for the tournament was held.
AUSTRALIA:
1. Billy Slater · 2. Joel Monaghan · 3. Greg Inglis · 4. Israel Folau · 5. Brent Tate · 6. Darren Lockyer (c) · 7. Johnathan Thurston
8. Steve Price · 9. Cameron Smith · 10. Petero Civoniceva · 11. Anthony Laffranchi · 12. Glenn Stewart · 13. Paul Gallen
Interchange: Kurt Gidley · Brent Kite · Anthony Tupou · Josh Perry
Coach: Ricky Stuart

NEW ZEALAND:
1. Lance Hohaia · 2. Sam Perrett · 3. Steve Matai · 4. Jerome Ropati · 5. Manu Vatuvei · 6. Benji Marshall · 7. Thomas Leuluai
8. Nathan Cayless (c) · 9. Nathan Fien · 10. Adam Blair · 11. Simon Mannering · 12. Sika Manu · 13. Jeremy Smith
Interchange: Dene Halatau · Greg Eastwood · Setaimata Sa · Sam Rapira
Coach: Stephen Kearney

More information Australia, 30 – 6 ...

Australia	30 – 6	New Zealand
Tries: Inglis 14' c Monaghan 30' c Folau 48' m, 80' c Slater 60' c Goals: Thurston (4) Smith	(report)	Try: Manu 26' c Goal: Matai

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26 October

Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 34,157 Referee: Ashley Klein Player of the Match: Johnathan Thurston[10]

The first points of the match came from a penalty kick by Johnathan Thurston (playing despite the murder of his uncle the previous day in a Brisbane park^[11]) after New Zealand's Simon Mannering held Brett Stewart down for too long in a tackle at the 9-minute mark. Three minutes later the Kiwis were again penalised in their own territory when Steve Matai's swinging arm struck Paul Gallen in the head, the incident being placed on report.^[12] Australia opted to attack New Zealand's line and the first try of the match went to Greg Inglis who beat his opposite number Matai to dive over. Thurston's successful conversion gave the Kangaroos an 8 nil lead. Later as the Kiwis were on the attack, second-rower Sika Manu, playing his debut match for New Zealand, ran an inside line onto a Benji Marshall short ball and found a way through the middle of Australia's defence to touch down near the uprights just on 27 minutes. Matai's conversion brought the margin back to two points. Shortly after however, Australia struck back through debutant winger Joel Monaghan whose try was awarded by the on-field referee after the video official referred the decision back to him. Thurston's conversion gave the Kangaroos a 14 - 6 lead going into the half-time break.

Australia were again the first to score in the second half, this time on the right side, with Israel Folau's arm reaching out over one of his tacklers at the goal-line to plant the ball down in the 48th minute. Thurston missed his first kick of the night so the score was 18 - 6. Ten minutes later Brent Tate was being taken from the field with a neck injury^[13] just before the Australian halfback Thurston made a break mid-field and, as he was being brought to the ground by a defender, threw the ball back for Billy Slater to regather and score. Thurston then kicked the extras, pushing Australia's lead out to three converted tries with just under a quarter of the match remaining. With less than three minutes of game time left the Kiwis looked to have scored a consolation try when Jerome Ropati crashed over out wide, the decision being put to the video referee. The replay however showed that the Australian fullback, Slater, had slid across in desperation feet-first, knocking the ball from Ropati's grasp with his boot just before he could touch it to the ground. In the final seconds of the match Australia scored one more try when quick hands from Slater flicked the ball out wide for Folau who dived over for his second. Cameron Smith was assigned the conversion from the side-line and was successful, giving the Kangaroos a 30 - 6 victory.

Papua New Guinea

In the second week of the tournament, Group A's New Zealand and Papua New Guinea faced off at Queensland's Gold Coast. It was the first time the two countries had met since the Kiwis had a 64–0 win over the Kumuls at Palmerston North in 1996. Papua New Guinea made no changes to their side from the previous match, while New Zealand were without Steve Matai who was serving a suspension due to his high tackle on Australia's Paul Gallen in their previous match. This meant Krisnan Inu got his chance to play, and Sika Manu and Dene Halatau were also replaced by Isaac Luke and David Fa'alogo.

NEW ZEALAND:
1. Lance Hohaia · 2. Sam Perrett · 3. Krisnan Inu · 4. Jerome Ropati · 5. Manu Vatuvei · 6. Benji Marshall · 7. Thomas Leuluai
8. Nathan Cayless · 9. Nathan Fien · 10. Adam Blair · 11. Simon Mannering · 12. Setaimata Sa · 13. Jeremy Smith
Interchange: 14. Isaac Luke · 15. Greg Eastwood · 16. Sam Rapira · 17. David Fa'alogo
Coach: Stephen Kearney

PAPUA NEW GUINEA:
1. John Wilshere · 2. David Moore · 3. Jessie Joe Parker · 4. Tu'u Maori · 5. George Keppa · 6. Stanley Gene · 7. Keith Peters
8. Makali Aizue · 9. Paul Aiton · 10. Trevor Exton · 11. Neville Costigan · 12. James Nightingale · 13. Rod Griffin
Interchange: 14. George Moni · 15. Jason Chan · 16. Rodney Pora · 17. Charlie Wabo
Coach: Adrian Lam

More information 48 – 6, Papua New Guinea ...

New Zealand	48 – 6	Papua New Guinea
Try: Ropati Mannering (2) Perrett (2) Luke Fa'alogo Blair Eastwood Goal: Inu (5)	(report)	Try: Moore Goal: Wilshire

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Saturday, 1 November

Robina Stadium,[14] Gold Coast Attendance: 11,278[15] Referee: Steve Ganson Player of the Match: Adam Blair

The first points came in the ninth minute when New Zealand, from fifteen metres out, moved the ball through the hands from the right side of the field out to the left, catching PNG's defence outnumbered so Jermoe Ropati could crossed untouched.^[16] Krisnan Inu's conversion attempt missed, leaving the score at 4 nil. Less than four minutes later it was Ropati again who fell over PNG's line, but was held up in goal. In the sixteenth minute the Kiwis again moved the ball out wide through the hands, this time to the right side where Simon Mannering was able to pass untouched between the thinly stretched defence to score. Inu kicked the extras and New Zealand were leading 10 nil. Mannering scored his second try eight minutes later, again on the right side of the field, after taking on the defensive line and breaking through. Inu's conversion was successful, taking New Zealand's lead out to 16 nil with fourteen minutes of the first half remaining.^[17] New Zealand's defence then withstood a series of assaults on their line when Papua New Guinea got repeat sets. Back in the Kumuls' half though, the Kiwis scored in the thirty-fourth minute, again on the right wing, when Benji Marshall threw an enormous cut out pass over to Sam Perrett who jogged over unchallenged by PNG's severely outnumbered defence.^[18] Inu's conversion made it 22 unanswered points by New Zealand and this would remain the scoreline at the half time break.

Marshall, New Zealand's key play maker, sat out the second half to ice a tightened hamstring muscle^[19] and after seven minutes it was Papua New Guinea who got the first points. On the left side of the field Neville Costigan got a pass out of a tackle to Jessie Joe Parker who also managed to pass from a tackle back inside for winger David Moore to race through some defenders and over the try-line, improving his kicker's field position by putting the ball down behind the uprights. Wilshere's simple conversion made the score 22 - 6.^[20] In the fifty-sixth minute, New Zealand returned to their try-scoring ways when Isaac Luke ran from dummy half thirty-seven metres out from Papua New Guinea's line and evaded a few defenders to score.^[21] Inu, however, missed the simple conversion. The Kiwis crossed again in the fifty-ninth minute from close range, Fa'alogo receiving a short ball from Fien and barging over the line. Isaac Luke missed the conversion so the score was 30–6 with a quarter of the match remaining. Less than ten minutes later, Adam Blair scored in the same spot, taking a short ball from dummy half Leuluai at close range and crashing over. Inu, making a return to the goal-kicking job, successfully converted the try. In the seventy-first minute, New Zealand were attacking again when Luke kicked high and to the left wing. Inu leapt for it but couldn't catch the ball and it ricocheted off the PNG defence before coming down for Sam Perrett to regather and ground. After examination by the video referee of a possible New Zealand knock on, the try was awarded due to the benefit of the doubt. Inu's conversion attempt was successful, bringing the score to 42–6. The Kiwis got one more try in the match when Greg Eastwood ran the ball from over thirty metres out, stepping and brushing past some defenders to score under the posts. The extras were kicked by Inu, leaving the final score at 48–6.^[22]

The loss for Papua New Guinea effectively ended their hopes of making the semi-finals, now requiring a win over Australia by an enormous margin to do so.^[23]

England

The last time the New Zealand and England sides met was in the semi-final of the 2000 World Cup, with the Kiwis winning 49 to 6. So far in this tournament both sides had defeated Papua New Guinea and lost to Australia. Changes to the New Zealand side were: Jason Nightingale in for Sam Perrett on the right wing; Steve Matai, after serving his one-match suspension, regained his place at right centre from Krisnan Inu; Evarn Tuimivave replaced Nathan Cayless in the front row (with Benji Marshall being named captain); David Fa'alogo was moved from the bench into Setaimata Sa's spot in the second row; Sam Rapira was dropped with David Kidwell and Bronson Harrison added to the bench.

ENGLAND
1. Paul Wellens · 2. Mark Calderwood · 3. Paul Sykes · 4. Keith Senior · 5. Lee Smith · 6. Martin Gleeson · 7. Rob Burrow
8. Adrian Morley · 9. Mickey Higham · 10. Jamie Peacock (C) · 11. Jamie Jones-Buchanan · 12. Gareth Ellis · 13. Rob Purdham
14. Kevin Sinfield · 15. Ben Westwood · 16. Gareth Hock · 17. Jamie Langley
Coach: Tony Smith

NEW ZEALAND
1. Lance Hohaia · 2. Jason Nightingale · 3. Steve Matai · 4. Jerome Ropati · 5. Manu Vatuvei · 6. Benji Marshall (C) · 7. Thomas Leuluai
8. Adam Blair · 9. Nathan Fein · 10. Evarn Tuimavave · 11. Simon Mannering · 12. David Fa'alogo · 13. Jeremy Smith
14. Isaac Luke · 15. Greg Eastwood · 16. David Kidwell · 17. Bronson Harrison
Coach: Stephen Kearney

More information England, 24 – 36 ...

England	24 – 36	New Zealand
Tries: Burrow (2) Higham Gleeson Goals: Purdham (4)	(report)	Tries: Vatuvei (4) Hohaia Nightingale Fien Goals: Luke (3) Smith

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8 November

Newcastle International Sports Centre, Newcastle Attendance: 15,145 Referee: Tony Archer

England were the first to score after getting repeat sets which took them down close to New Zealand's line where hooker Mickey Higham pushed through the defence from dummy half in the 4th minute.^[24] The simple conversion was kicked by Rob Purdham so the score was 6 nil. Less than 4 minutes later England were working the ball out from their own 10-metre line when they decided to pass out wide to their centre Keith Senior, who beat the defence and raced down along the left wing. He then passed back inside for Rob Burrow running up in support and the diminutive halfback was away for England's second try. Purdham's conversion was successful so England were in front 12 nil with under ten minutes of the match gone. However New Zealand struck back just on 13 minutes after a break made by centre Jerome Ropati from a scrum win mid-field afforded Manu Vatuvei a run at the disorganised defence from within ten metres, the giant winger barging his way over for his first try of the tournament. The conversion attempt by Steve Matai was wide, so the score remained 12 - 4 in favour of England. At the sixteen-minute mark from a scrum win the English stand-off, Martin Gleeson made a sudden break from 30 metres out and was into open space, his run good enough for the momentum to drag him and his tackler over the try-line. The video referee awarded the four points and Purdham kicked the extra two so England's lead was pushed out to 18 - 4. In the 20th minute, the Kiwis were down close to the English try-line when New Zealand fullback Lance Hohaia dummied and stepped his way through the defensive line and fought his way through his tacklers to force the ball down, the video referee awarding the try after some deliberation. The kick from Matai missed so the score was 18 - 8 with three quarters of the match still remaining. Six minutes later, England were back deep in New Zealand's territory when Burrow at first-receiver and on the last tackle stepped and dashed through the defence to score his second try of the night. Purdham's conversion put the score at England 24, New Zealand 8. A few minutes later play was halted while Kiwi centre Steve Matai was taken from the field after falling into a tackle awkwardly and injuring his neck.^[25] New Zealand, ten metres into England's half and before the first tackle of a new set of six, offloaded from some tackles and kept the ball alive before sending it out to Jason Nightingale on the right wing where he dived over in the corner. Isaac Luke was given the sideline conversion attempt and kicked it, putting New Zealand back in the contest at 24 - 14, with three minutes of the first half remaining. No more points were scored before the break.

In the 47th minute, New Zealand were on the attack and were the first to score in the second half when a long pass from Hohaia out to Vatuvei saw him dive over untouched in the left corner for his second try of the match. The video referee awarded the try and Luke's sideline conversion attempt was wide, so the score was New Zealand 18, England 24. The Kiwi's then continued dominating possession and field position and in the 55th minute Vatuvei scored his 3rd, again diving over untouched in the corner after receiving a long ball from Hohaia. Once more Luke had to kick for goal from the sideline and this time was successful so the scores were level at 24 all. In the 69th minute, Luke gained his team a penalty when he was given a push by an England player while running in to contest a bomb and fell to the ground.^[26] The Kiwis decided to take the kick from in front of the posts and Luke got the two points which put New Zealand in the lead for the first time at 26 - 24. New Zealand were attacking England's line again in the 75th minute when an English defender fumbled an intercept chance and from the confusion Nathan Fein, who was playing on despite a broken nose, picked up the ball and crashed over. The try was awarded by the video referee and the conversion was kicked by Jeremy Smith, so New Zealand led 32 to 24 with 5 minutes of the match remaining. The Kiwis got one more try, again from Lance Hohaia throwing a long ball out to Manu Vatuvei to cross untouched on the left wing once more, his fourth try for the night. Benji Marshall took the sideline conversion attempt and missed, but the game was already beyond doubt, with New Zealand winning 36 - 24.^[27]

Manu Vatuvei's four tries saw him break the record of three previously held by Robbie Paul and Lesley Vainikolo for most tries in a World Cup match by a New Zealand player.^[28]