Zealand

Australia edged to a 36-22 victory in a pulsating match against Fiji to book their place in the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals.

Having lost their previous five meetings against Australia by an aggregate score of 246-16, a stunned Brisbane crowd watched Fiji enjoy territorial advantage in the first half and take a 16-12 lead after the break.

However, the momentum switched back to Kevin Walters’ side in a crucial 60-second spell.

Solomone Saukuru raced in to seemingly put Fiji 20-12 ahead – but when it was ruled out for obstruction, Australia immediately went up the other end and Tom Trbojevic scored to bring the teams level.

Trbojevic, who looked vulnerable in defence, crossed twice more for Australia and Jacob Preston added a further try after Semi Valemei had completed his hat-trick for Fiji.

“There are definitely some areas to improve on,” Trbojevic told Premier Sports. “We didn’t start as we wanted to and couldn’t get a flow. We just needed to play our style of footy.

“We weren’t at our best but we came away with two points. We need to improve. We’ve got to enjoy a win but we’ve got to be our harshest critics too.”

Brisbane Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs had opened the scoring for Australia on his home ground, while Sam Walker capped his debut with a try and 12 points with the boot.

But the manner in which their pack were outmuscled – and in which they allowed Taane Milne and Valemei to score – will be a concern for Walters, whose team head into the last four despite delivering two unconvincing performances in beating New Zealand and Fiji.

New Zealand will take on Fiji in a make-or-break final pool game on Saturday, 31 October (04:30 GMT), having overcome an early scare themselves in their 82-16 victory over the Cook Islands in Christchurch.

Australia beat New Zealand 24-22 in a dramatic Rugby League World Cup opener in Sydney, with debutant Jack Bostock scoring a hat-trick to see the hosts snatch victory late on.

READ MORE: Australia edge New Zealand in epic World Cup opener

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Australia (10) 24

Tries: Bostock 3, Trbojevic, Walsh Goals: Walsh 2

New Zealand (10) 22

Tries: McLean, Ponga 2 Goals: Isaako 3 Penalties: Isaako 2

Australia underlined why they are favourites for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup by fighting back from a mauling at the hands of New Zealand’s powerful pack to win a thrilling opening match of the tournament.

This was as good as it gets in terms of international rugby league, with more than 40,000 fans – the biggest Test match crowd in Sydney for 50 years – witnessing the ultimate smash-and-grab victory by Kevin Walters’ side.

Casey McLean’s stunning early try gave New Zealand the impetus and they were on top until the final five minutes, when Jack Bostock marked a stunning Kangaroos debut with his third try to decide an epic match.

Bostock’s dream debut – which included one interception try and two by winning aerial battles to claim spiralling Cameron Munster kicks – was one of many fascinating sub plots.

Kalyn Ponga’s match-up against his Australia counterpart Reece Walsh, arguably the sport’s biggest star, was another.

The Kiwi full-back scored twice and looked to be coming out on top in their personal battle until Walsh conjured up a superb long-range try to lay the platform for the defending champions’ last-gasp triumph.

Ponga left the field injured with the game in the balance and had his left arm in a sling at full time, which does not bode well for the rest of his tournament.

More to follow.

Men’s Lions tours, featuring players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, have taken place since 1888.

The women will travel to New Zealand for a five-match tour that features Tests in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Yapp’s side will hope for a send-off in front of a bumper Cardiff crowd.

“It will be a tremendous rugby match and occasion,” said Carol Isherwood, chair of the Lions women’s committee.

“It’s a chance to grow the game and leave a legacy so that we are able to continue with the Lions team by setting the foundations and give everybody the chance to see the women’s game at its very best.”

A crowd of 21,186 set a record for a Wales women’s home game in any sport when watching the Six Nations defeat by England at Principality Stadium in 2025.

“I’ve been there for some England men’s games and the noise is fabulous. It’ll be great if it is a sea of red for the Lions and not just Wales,” said Isherwood, who captained Great Britain in 1986.

“We’ve got a fantastic tour in line, and we’re starting off with a brilliant occasion in Cardiff.

“We looked at some different options and going abroad, like the men have previously, but the Welsh Rugby Union said that they felt they could do a great job here.

“We have the fantastic stadium, the support for rugby, tradition of the women’s game having some important moments in Wales and the fact that we can get thousands under that roof to see the Lions women play.

“The visibility allows girls across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales to dream of pulling on that red shirt one day.”

It will be the second time that the Lions have faced France after the men won a friendly in Paris in 1989.

WHAT luck! We admire the northern royal albatross – his jet-black wings spanning more than three metres as he circles above our little tour boat.

“They love gliding on this south-westerly breeze,” says Rachel, captain of the Sootychaser.

But within seconds our attention switches as Rachel spots some adorable blue penguins — the smallest in the world — on the other side of the boat.

With fur seals, oyster catchers, black swans and sooty shearwaters also ticked, this boat trip around Port Chalmers harbour in New Zealand’s South Island has turned into a wildlife adventure that keeps on giving.

Lady luck has been with me since I set out on a 12-night cruise from Sydney.

It was a bucket-list departure as we sailed past the Opera House on our way to Auckland on Norwegian Cruise Line’s ship, Norwegian Spirit.

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The Tasman Sea was unusually calm as Captain Nordin navigated Spirit into Milford Sound, a deep fjord with steep cliffs and gushing waterfalls, the low mist clearing to reveal a cloudless blue sky.

Cruising New Zealand’s scenic fiordlands, a vast, wild area at the bottom of the South Island, always promised to be a highlight of the trip and didn’t disappoint.

It was spectacular. From Milford we sailed past the softer scenery in Doubtful Sound — so-named because when Captain Cook was passing in 1770 he didn’t think his ship would get into it.

Last up was Dusky Sound, named by Cook as he first saw it as the sun set.
Port Chalmers is the nearest that most cruise ships can get to Dunedin, the Gaelic word for Edinburgh. “Scottish settlers travelled thousands of miles to this unknown land, but at least the weather was very familiar,” our guide Robert says with a laugh.

He’s not joking. We’re here in New Zealand’s summer, but the sky is grey and it is drizzling.

Things didn’t improve next day, when strong winds prevented Spirit getting into Lyttelton, the port for Christchurch.

Instead there was a day at sea with fabulous views as we sailed past snowy peaks.

I also worked up a sweat in Spirit’s thermal suite and followed up with an altogether different spirit — a margarita in Magnum’s, my favourite bar.

Built in 1998 and with room for just under 2,000 passengers, Spirit is NCL’s oldest and smallest ship, but looking very spruce after a £89million refurb in 2020.

They doubled the size of the spa, updated cabins, turned a waterpark at the back of Deck 10 into an adults-only area and added so many more places to eat and drink that it took me a week to try them all.

As NCL is the king of cruising casual, I booked whichever restaurant I fancied instead of being told when or where to eat, or what to wear. Jeans in the restaurant at dinner? No problem.

Steaks in Cagney’s, noodles in Silk, pasta in Onda by Scarpetta, stir-fry straight off the griddle in the fun Teppanyaki, and a superb Coq au Vin in the Bistro — I munched my way through the lot of them.

They were all really good (top marks went to the Bistro) and usually cost extra, but I paid nothing, thanks to NCL’s generous Free At Sea package.

It includes free meals in up to four speciality restaurants on cruises over nine nights (fewer nights nets fewer restaurants) as well as covering drinks and wifi and giving USD$50 (around £38) off the cost of shore excursions.

There were plenty of included places to eat as well.

Taste, one of two main dining rooms, was good, and I liked the outdoor seating at the Garden Cafe (a posh name for the buffet), but The Local was my favourite, for its salads, burgers, fish and chips and chicken wings.

Outside, the weather was getting better and better, with sunshine and blue skies as we explored New Zealand’s North Island. Wellington, the capital, stole my heart with its relaxed feel, clean streets and waterfront bars.

I rode a cable car to the top of the botanic gardens and wandered back to town, admiring the exotic plants and trees along the way.

In Napier the next day, I joined a hike and wine tour up the lofty Te Mata Peak with guides Helen and Anne.

“We’ve learned from experience it’s good to do the wine after the walk,” says Helen.

Wise words. What started as an easy path from the car park got steeper as we climbed — one foot wrong and you would be tumbling down the grassy bank.

Panting with exertion, it was a joy to finally dive into four tipples, including a cheery sweet rosé aptly named Fleurty.

Tauranga was different again — a beautiful beach resort, with miles of soft sand and stylish apartments that would look right at home on the French Riviera (but were a lot cheaper).

The next day, in Auckland, it was time to say goodbye to Spirit and New Zealand — but I’m not dis-Spirited because, with Lady Luck on my side, I’ll be back.

Bledisloe Cup – First Test

New Zealand (17) 50

Tries: Lakai, Vaai, Roigard, Taylor, Carter, Moorby, Jordan Cons: McKenzie (6) Pens: McKenzie

Australia (14) 19

Tries: Wright, Wilson, Nasser Cons: Lonergan (2)

New Zealand retained the Bledisloe Cup for a 23rd straight year as they powered past Australia to extend their remarkable unbeaten run at Eden Park.

The All Blacks have not lost at the venue since 1994, with a dominant second-half display increasing their unbeaten run in Auckland to 54 Tests.

Australia remained in touch at half-time at 17-14 down but New Zealand blew the visitors away after the break, scoring five tries.

Peter Lakai, Tupou Vaa’i, Cam Roigard, Codie Taylor, Leroy Carter, Josh Moorby and Will Jordan all scored as fly-half Damian McKenzie kicked 15 points to help the All Blacks retain the trophy which is contested annually between the two nations.

Victory halted a three-match losing streak for the All Blacks after the 3-1 series defeat by world champions South Africa this summer.

Defeat for the Wallabies was their first since head coach Les Kiss succeeded Joe Schmidt in July, ending their six-game unbeaten run.

Australia were looking for their first win at Eden Park since 1986 and went ahead after controlling the early stages through full-back Tom Wright’s try.

New Zealand responded strongly, and inspired by scrum-half Roigard’s searching kicks, turned the match around with tries from Lakai and Vaa’i.

Wallabies captain Harry Wilson scored a try to keep New Zealand at arm’s length, but the All Blacks moved through the gears in the second half.

Roigard grabbed a try for himself shortly after the break, before Taylor, Carter, Moorby and Jordan went over as Australia struggled to hold back the hosts’ waves of attack.

Josh Nasser added a late try for the visitors, but the match was well beyond their reach by that point.

The second match of the two-Test series takes place in Sydney at the Accor Stadium on 17 October.

New Zealand: B Barrett; Jordan, Tupaea, J Barrett, Carter; McKenzie, Roigard; De Groot, Taylor (c), Newell, S Barrett, Lord, Vaa’i, Lakai, Sititi

Replacements: Aumua, Bower, Tosi, Frizell, Segner, Preston, Loane, Moorby

Australia: Wright; Jorgensen, Henry, Ikitau, Sua’ali’i; Donaldson, Lonergan; Bell, Paenga-Amosa, Alaalatoa, Williams, Salakaia-Loto, Valetini, McReight, Wilson (c)

Replacements: Nasser, Ross, De Lutiis, Shaw, De Crespigny, McDermott, Meredith, Potter

Referee: Andrew Brace (Ire)

Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (Eng) & Damian Schneider (Arg)

TMO: Mike Adamson (Sco)