# Australia edge New Zealand in epic World Cup opener

> Defending champions Australia beat New Zealand 24-22 in a thrilling Rugby League World Cup opener, with Jack Bostock's hat-trick sealing victory in the final minutes.
- Title: Australia edge New Zealand in epic World Cup opener | Shortify
- Summary: Defending champions Australia beat New Zealand 24-22 in a thrilling Rugby League World Cup opener, with Jack Bostock's hat-trick sealing victory in the final…
- Keywords: rugby league, world cup 2026, australia, new zealand, jack bostock, reece walsh, kalyn ponga, sports, edge, Zealand, epic, World
- Source: BBC Sport — https://bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/articles/crn8w411gj1yo
- Published: 2026-10-15T11:23:58.36+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: rugby league, world cup 2026, australia, new zealand, jack bostock, reece walsh, kalyn ponga, sports
## Australia stun New Zealand in World Cup opener
Australia defeated New Zealand twenty four twenty two in the opening match of the two thousand twenty six Rugby League World Cup.
## Bostock's dream debut seals the victory
Jack Bostock marked his Australia debut with a hat trick of tries, including one interception try and two by winning aerial battles to claim spiralling Cameron Munster kicks.
## Walsh and Ponga duel in the centres
Reece Walsh and Kalyn Ponga, arguably the sport's biggest stars, battled throughout. Walsh delivered a stunning long range try to bring Australia within two points at twenty twenty two, eight minutes after Ponga had scored…
## New Zealand dominated but could not finish
New Zealand's formidable pack mauled Australia's forwards for most of the match. Casey McLean's early try gave the Kiwis impetus and they led six zero, sixteen ten and twenty two sixteen, but two errant passes…
## Ponga leaves the field with suspected injury
Kalyn Ponga made his first appearance for New Zealand but left the field injured with a suspected broken arm prior to the final minutes.
## Record Sydney crowd witnesses the thriller
More than forty thousand fans witnessed the match at Sydney, the biggest Test match crowd in Sydney for fifty years. The game featured staggering skill, brutal intensity and relentless drama across eighty pulsating minutes.
## Australia may face New Zealand again in final
Many expect Australia will have to repeat this performance against New Zealand in the final on fifteen November if they are to lift the trophy for a thirteenth time.
## Key takeaway

Australia defeated New Zealand 24-22 in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup opener, scoring twice in the final five minutes to overturn a 22-16 deficit.