New Zealand 34–20 Australia — Final, 2008 Rugby League World Cup

22 Nov 2008 · Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia · Attendance: 50,599Highest-attended match of the tournament

Data last verified: 11 August 2026.

2008 Rugby League World Cup ▾

Final, 2008 Rugby League World Cup: New Zealand 34–20 Australia, at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia on 22 Nov 2008.

Scoring timeline

11′Australia — try, Lockyer · Thurston missed
15′Australia — try, Williams · Thurston kicked
24′New Zealand — try, Smith · Luke kicked
28′New Zealand — try, Ropati · Luke kicked
35′Australia — try, Lockyer · Thurston kicked
47′New Zealand — try, Hohaia · Luke kicked
60′New Zealand — try, Marshall · Marshall missed
64′Australia — try, Inglis · Thurston missed
70′New Zealand — try, Penalty try · Marshall kicked
75′New Zealand — try, Blair · Marshall kicked

Tries in order scored, with the conversion kicked/missed alongside each one where our source data lets us match a kicker to that specific try. Sources don't record exact minutes for missed kicks, so misses are matched by elimination (attempts left over once every made kick is accounted for), not sequenced by time. Standalone penalty goals are shown separately below, not attached to a try.

Scorers

New ZealandTries: Smith 24'; Ropati 28'; Hohaia 47'; Marshall 60'; Penalty try 70'; Blair 75'
Goals: Luke (3/3) 24', 28', 47'; Marshall (2/3) 70', 75'
AustraliaTries: Lockyer (2) 11', 35'; Williams 15'; Inglis 64'
Goals: Thurston (2/4) 15', 35'

Teams

New ZealandAustralia
1Lance HohaiaFullbackBilly Slater1
2Sam PerrettWingJoel Monaghan2
3Simon ManneringCentreGreg Inglis3
4Jerome RopatiCentreIsrael Folau4
5Manu VatuveiWingDavid Williams5
6Benji MarshallStand off/Five eighthDarren Lockyer (c)6
7Nathan FienScrum half/Half backJohnathan Thurston7
8Nathan Cayless (c)Prop forwardBrent Kite8
9Thomas LeuluaiHookerCameron Smith9
10Adam BlairProp forwardPetero Civoniceva10
11David Fa'alogoSecond rowAnthony Laffranchi11
12Bronson HarrisonSecond rowGlenn Stewart12
13Jeremy SmithLoose forward/Lock forwardPaul Gallen13
Substitutes
14Isaac LukeKarmichael Hunt14
15Greg EastwoodAnthony Tupou16
16Sam RapiraCraig Fitzgibbon17
17Sika ManuAnthony Watmough22
Stephen KearneyCoachRicky Stuart

Match officials

RefereeAshley Klein (Australia)
Touch judgesSteve Chiddy (Australia), James Child (England)
Player of the matchDarren Lockyer (Australia)

Match report

Australia, the dominant, near-unbeatable favourites, raced to a 10-0 lead inside 15 minutes through two Darren Lockyer tries either side of a David Williams score. New Zealand — coached by first-year boss Stephen Kearney and captained by Nathan Cayless — hit back through Jeremy Smith and Jerome Ropati to lead 12-10, before Lockyer's second try nudged Australia back in front 16-12 at halftime in a wildly open arm-wrestle.

New Zealand took control after the break. Lance Hohaia's try put them ahead again, and although Benji Marshall (who took over the goal-kicking) missed his own conversion after a length-of-field try, Greg Inglis's response for Australia was matched by a penalty try and a decisive late score from prop Adam Blair, extending the lead to 34-20.

The result is regarded as one of the biggest upsets in rugby league history — New Zealand had never previously beaten Australia in a World Cup or Ashes-style series decider, and this remains their only Rugby League World Cup title. Darren Lockyer was named player of the match despite the loss, for his two tries.

Previous World Cup meetings

Sources

← 2008 Rugby League World Cup — full match archive

← 2008 Rugby League World Cup