'Freaky man': Kangaroos in awe of Addo-Carr after stunning World Cup try

“I’m a freaky man, I’m a freaky man”.

After capping off Australia’s 84-0 defeat of Scotland with one of the most sublime tries in World Cup history, Josh Addo-Carr ran to the fence at Coventry Building Society Arena and shouted those words to the crowd.

It was a claim that no-one in the Kangaroos camp could dispute as even Addo-Carr’s team-mates were in awe of his ability to kick into the in-goal and sprint around Bravehearts fullback Alex Walker to score his fourth try.

The effort by Bulldogs team-mate Matt Burton to keep a Ben Hunt kick in the field of play by throwing the ball between his legs while ensuring his feet were off the ground as he crossed the sideline was just as freakish.

Burton’s feat drew comparisons to the try Greg Inglis laid on for Mark Gasnier in the 2008 Centenary Test at the SCG but Addo-Carr’s finishing skills elevated the 78th minute try above that.

“It was magnificent,” Australian coach Mal Meninga said. “That’s what happens when you have got such talented players.

“Burto between the legs, back to Fox, he kicks down the sideline, he has got to be quick and he scores in the corner. It’s the try of the tournament, isn’t it.”

Meninga scored one of Australia’s most memorable tries to snatch victory in the second Test of the 1990 Ashes series at Old Trafford after a long break by Ricky Stuart but his team’s 15th try was more spectacular – if not as important.    

“There have been many great tries scored in international rugby league but that is up there,” Meninga said.

Asked to recount the try, Burton said Addo-Carr deserved the credit for his quick thinking and even quicker feet.

“I didn’t really know where it was going to be honest, but I just flicked it under and hoped for the best,” Burton said. “He finished it off, so it was all him.

“He gets all credit there. He is a freaky man. He was yelling at the crowd, ‘I’m a freaky man, I’m a freaky man’.

“You can’t beat speed, and he is too fast. He was outstanding tonight, he scored four tries and deserved more.”

Kangaroos captain James Tedesco said few players would have been able to score the try, which ensured the team surpassed the 82-0 defeat of Fiji in 1995 as Australia’s second greatest win.

“He just has that lightning speed and I’m glad to have him on our team,” Tedesco said. “He creates something out of nothing and I don’t imagine many players doing what he did for that last try.”

Addo-Carr played down his heroics, saying: “When everyone does their job it makes your job easy. All I have to do is catch the ball and run fast”.

However, he praised Australia’s defensive effort and revealed that the team wanted to ensure they lived up to the standards created by great Kangaroos sides of the past.

“The most pleasing thing was that we kept them to zero,” Addo-Carr said. “We wanted to play the Australian way - tough, resilient, ruthless, relentless.

“There have been some great Australian sides in the past and I feel like we are a young side. I think for me, as a team it is about building our own legacy. I think we are on the right path to doing that.”