Paul Crawley in Manchester
FOX SPORTS
December 01, 2013THE Kangaroos produced one of their truly memorable performances to smash the Kiwis 34-2 in Sunday morning's World Cup final at Old Trafford.
Played in front of a rugby league international record crowd of 74,468 at the famous home of Manchester United, Australia put on as history making performance with a stunning five tries to nil annihilation.
Billy Slater scored two tries in a memorable comeback effort while Brett Morris also finished with a double, but there were stars for Australia all over the park.
Johnathan Thurston won his fourth man of the match of the tournament but Cooper Cronk and Cam Smith were also outstanding as they brilliantly combined to control the game.
While the Kangaroos dominated the battle of the forwards, the backs cut loose.
"It's a dream come true,'' Thurston said.
"It's been a long six weeks but to win a World Cup with your best mates, it doesn't get any better.
"We've been building towards this (performance). Our main focus was to be here in the last weekend of the World Cup and to improve each week and we've done that.''
Jarryd Hayne was tremendous in both attack and defence after suffering a sickening heavy early knock while Slater produced a faultless and freakish performance in his return from a knee injury.
And as wonderful as they were in attack they again refused to concede a single try for their fifth straight game.
The win finally puts to bed the Kangaroos' 2008 World Cup final defeat to the Kiwis and their 2010 Four Nations loss.
"What a fantastic campaign we've had,'' Smith told his teammates before hoisting the trophy.
"We started off a bit shaky in the first game in Cardiff but we've certainly turned things around.''
The Kangaroos led 16-2 at halftime after a totally dominant opening 40 minutes.
Built on the back of a tremendous kicking game from Cronk, Thurston and Smith, the Kangaroos raced in two first half tries and had another one controversially disallowed.
The Kiwis lost Roger Tuivasa-Sheck after just seven minutes when he left the field with a leg injury he'd carried into the game and Jarryd Hayne copped a heavy early knock when he got his head in the wrong place trying to tackle Simon Mannering - but Hayne's defence in the first half was tremendous.
Thurston and Shaun Johnson traded early penalty goals to make it 2-2 after 14 minutes before the Kangaroos kicked into gear with a breathtaking try to Slater when he out-jumped Kieran Foran to claim a Thurston cross-kick in the 19th minute.
Cronk's no-try in the 26th minute was a thrilling piece of football even though it resulted in no points.
Cronk started the movement with a downfield kick and from there a Brett Morris tap back was followed by a freakish chip under pressure from Hayne that landed perfectly for Cronk.
But the try was denied when video referee Klein claimed Andrew Fifita had caused interference when he pushed Issac Luke as Luke attempted to stop Cronk from scoring.
But four minutes later there was no denying Cronk when he again started and finished a wonderful Kangaroo raid down the left edge as a neat Boyd kick bounced into Cronk's hands for the try to make it 14-2.
Thurston then landed a penalty goal in the 37th minute to make it 16-2 at the break.
Slater finished off another left-edge raid for a try in the in the 41st minute as the Kangaroos opened up a 22-2 lead.
Brett Morris was lucky he didn't suffer a serious injury when he scored in the 52nd minute and crashed into the advertising signs.
A Josh Papalii flick pass got it started before Hayne twice kicked a Morris charged after the second to touch down for the try.
But he was going at such pace that he slid straight over the deadball line and down a steep drop off and crashed into the fence.
He initially looked hurt but he made it back to his feet and stayed on the field as the Kangaroos' lead stretched to 28-2.
Manu Vatuvei also had a lucky escape when he jumped for a Johnson bomb and again crashed into the drop zone.
The Kangaroos rushed to his aid but while Vatuvei got up holding his arm he played on.
"I just think Australia's performance today was nothing short of outstanding,'' Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney said.
"They gave us a real lesson.''
