Australia beat New Zealand in Rugby League World Cup opener

Jack Bostock scores hat-trick

Debutant Jack Bostock scored three tries to help Australia secure the victory. He completed his treble with a crucial interception try in the final minutes of play. Reece Walsh also scored a try and kicked two goals during the match.

New Zealand dominated early

The Kiwis held the lead for most of the contest thanks to tries from Casey McLean and Kalyn Ponga. Ponga scored his second try before leaving the field with an arm injury near the end.

Crowd sets new record

More than 40,000 fans attended the event at the Sydney venue. This attendance figure surpasses the previous benchmark set for a Test match in 1974.