Here’s what you might have missed overnight at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup in England.
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The main takeaways
- Jahrome Hughes was irrepressible for the Kiwis, scoring two tries and having a hand in five others as New Zealand overcame a slow start.
- This was the first time that New Zealand's first-choice spine of Joey Manu, Dylan Brown, Hughes and Brandon Smith have been available in the World Cup after Hughes missed the opening two games with a thigh injury.
- Jared Waerea-Hargreaves faces a nervous wait from the match review after he was sent to the sin bin for a high shot on Dan Morgan. With no fines system in place for the World Cup, Waerea-Hargreaves could well miss the Kiwis' quarterfinal clash should he be charged from the offence.
- New Zealand need to fix their goal-kicking woes, having landed just four goals from 10 attempts on the night — a worrying trend after they missed five conversions against Jamaica a week earlier. Jordan Rapana and Dylan Brown both split the goal-kicking duties against Ireland.
Star performers
With 19 tackle busts, four try assists and two tries in just an hour of play, there was no denying Jahrome Hughes as the man of the match for his dominant performance against Ireland. Hughes' acceleration through the line accounted for several tries, while his vision created others with a number of try assists off kicks.
After a stellar season for the Cowboys, Peta Hiku produced another strong performance and will likely start in the centres for New Zealand against Fiji even if Marata Niukore is available for selection. Both he and Jordan Rapana collected doubles as the Kiwis' right hand side attack accounted for six of their 10 tries.
Ireland face Kiwis haka
On a tough night for the Wolfhounds, Ireland winger Louis Senior put his name in the history books with his two tries taking him equal top of the try-scorers list alongside Kangaroos flyer Josh Addo-Carr. Senior now has six tries through his three World Cup matches — a figure that could climb higher in the knockout rounds if Jamaica can upset Lebanon to keep Ireland's campaign alive.
What the result means
New Zealand will have a good break now before their quarterfinal, which will likely be against Fiji next Sunday (AEDT). Ireland, meanwhile, will face a nervous wait overnight as to their potential progression through to the knockout rounds. The Wolfhounds need Jamaica to upset Lebanon to continue their tournament; a win for the Cedars would see them leapfrog Ireland into second place.
Recap
- Match report: Hughes returns in style as Kiwis book quarterfinals place
- Key injuries: Henry O'Kane (head knock), Dan Morgan (head knock)
Match Highlights: New Zealand v Ireland