Jahrome Hughes turned it a superb display as New Zealand hammered Ireland 48-10 at Headingley on Friday night to confirm their spot in the quarter-finals of the Rugby League World Cup.
Michael Maguire’s side racked up 10 tries despite a sometimes-scratchy performance as they secured themselves top spot in Group C with a third win out of three. The first team to officially book a place in the last eight, New Zealand will face the runners-up in Group B in the quarter-finals.
Ed Chamberlain put Ireland ahead with the boot 10 minutes in following a Kiwi ball steal but it didn’t take long for the 2008 world champions to take a lead they’d never lose. Brandon Smith made great yardage from a loose James Hasson pass and Hughes dived over for his first of two efforts.
Hughes then turned provider, chipping a kick to the right corner for Jordan Rapana to touch down easily with the Irish cover left wanting. And the scrum-half was at it again soon after with another kick, this time a low slide-rule effort which Peta Hiku went at full length to score.
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Ireland pegged them back against the run of play immediately afterwards when Louis Senior picked of Briton Nikora’s lazy pass and raced to the line to the sound of the biggest cheers of the night. But the Kiwis were over again within seconds as Hughes fended off one defender and drew Richie Myler before sending in Hiku for a second try.
New Zealand were then lucky not to lose Jared Waerea-Hargreaves for the remainder of the game after the front-rower went in hard and high on Dan Norman. After the ensuing melee had been quelled, referee Robert Hicks sent Waerea-Hargreaves to the sin bin for an offence many might have seen red for in a non-World Cup fixture.
And Ireland’s disappointment was compounded when they lost cheap ball straight from the penalty and Ronaldo Mulitalo finished a flowing move by crossing in the left corner to give the Kiwis a 24-6 half-time advantage.
Rapana was over again for the first try of the second period, staying in the field of play just long enough to ground the ball after a flowing left-to-right passing move, and James Fisher-Harris went in for the seventh score when charging through the middle beyond some weak Irish defence.
At this point the greatest concern for coach Maguire might have been the inability to turn fours into sixes, with Dylan Brown missing a third straight kick following on from Jordan Rapana’s two-for-four from the tee.
But Hughes was soon over for his second try after a wonderful right-foot step and a dart past James Bentley to reach the line, with Brown finally converting to open up a 38-6 lead.
Substitute Kieran Foran’s lofted kick then caused havoc for Chamberlain, who spilled the ball straight in front of a grateful Kenny Bromwich for a ninth Kiwi touchdown, yet Ireland fought back to score the next try, Mulitalo throwing the ball away in his own in-goal in a tackle from Louis Senior, who gladly pounced for his second of the night.
It was the Kiwis who had the final say though, Joey Manu bursting through to dot down his side's 10th try as the Irish line tired, Brown missing the kick to leave them just short of the half-century.
Despite their battling effort, Ireland are almost certainly out of the tournament. They can only progress if newcomers Jamaica somehow pull off a shock win by more than six points against Lebanon on Sunday.
As winners of Group C, New Zealand head to the MKM Stadium in Hull next Saturday for their quarter-final fixture, with Fiji their likely opponents.
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