Quick hits: Walsh vomits after try, Ponga shines then suffers in epic duel

Australia and New Zealand have set a high standard for the 17th edition of the Rugby League World Cup, opening the 2026 tournament with an all-time classic.

Young Kiwi Casey McLean defied gravity, and debutant Aussie Jack Bostock won the match for the Kangaroos.

Meanwhile, a vomiting Reece Walsh and a broken-armed Kalyn Ponga produced one of the great fullback duels.

Here are the quick hits from the opening match.

1. McLean defies gravity in all-time finish

Casey McLean is Kiwi superman.

After a towering bomb from Jahrome Hughes was batted back by Ronaldo Mulitalo, Isaiah Papali'i threw what could best be described as a one-handed chuck, collected by McLean on the blind side.

With no space to work in, and Kangaroos halfback Mitchell Moses smothering him while directing him towards touch, McLean went airborne.

Somehow, seemingly in slow motion, as his body hovered horizontally over the sideline, McLean grounded the ball in the corner.

ABC Sport expert commentator Luke Lewis described it as "one of the best finishes you will see in this game."

And just four minutes into this World Cup, a contender for try of the tournament was born.

2. Long-range intercepts put Kangaroos on top

The Kiwis dominated the first half at the Sydney Football Stadium.

The New Zealanders had 59 per cent of the ball, made 300 more metres running, and had 66 fewer tackles.

But they went into the break level after the Kangaroos scored two 90-metre intercept tries.

The first Kangaroos score came from debutant Jack Bostock, who rushed out of the defensive line to grab a looping pass by Kiwi halfback Jahrome Hughes.

If that ball got over his head, it would have been a try for the Kiwis. But the Australian winger took the ball cleanly, broke the grasp of a Kiwi, and ran for the goal-line.

Incredibly, an almost identical play happened for Australia's other winger Tom Trbojevic on the other side of the field.

Kiwi centre Casey McLean gave a pass meant for his unmarked winger, but Trbojevic stuck his arm in the way and caught the footy.

Trbojevic then showed the speed he was known for at the start of his career, beating the cover tackle attempt of Kodi Nikorima and streaking away.

3. After first half denial, Ponga breathes fire

The duel of the opposing fullbacks was one of the most hyped heading into this game, featuring two of the most electric talents in the game.

And it produced everything fans could hope for.

Kiwis' custodian Kalyn Ponga came into the tournament off the back of a breathtaking season for the Knights, while the Kangaroos' number one Reece Walsh was considered a somewhat controversial selection, preferred over the Roosters' Clive Churchill medallist James Tedesco.

After being kept relatively quiet for most of the first half, Ponga burst to life on the left, dancing, darting, and taunting the Kangaroos.

He slipped past Staggs and tried to sidestep Walsh, who produced a scintillating try-saver, bundling Ponga into touch.

It was one for the purists, in shades of Scott Sattler's tackle on Toddy Byrne in the 2003 NRL grand final.

Ponga shook it off after the break, and the Kiwis debutant was on the end of some slick passing from the Kiwis for a straightforward finish for his first try.

His second was better, a 40-metre vintage Ponga effort.

With his shorts pulled halfway down his legs, he still managed to power past Walsh with a classic step, sending the sizeable Kiwi contingent in Sydney into delirium.

4. Walsh plunders then chunders, Ponga goes off

The Kangaroos were staring down a rare defeat to their arch-rivals in this arena, when Walsh responded to his opposite number's heroics, and left the Kiwis in his dust.

Deep in their own half and trailing by six, Bostock slipped a clever flick pass behind his back, and the Broncos superstar swooped.

He swerved past defenders, running 60 metres to go over in the corner.

But he gave everything in the effort, and as he prepared to take the conversion, he was interrupted by his exhaustion.

He threw up and was unable to take the kick, with Lattrell Mitchell stepping up instead.

Walsh continued to dry retch, and looked completely spent. But he managed to keep it together (and inside) to stay on the field and see out the game.

But it was a horrible end to the game for Ponga; his night ended early with a suspected broken arm — a huge blow for the Kiwis' title hopes.

Ponga had nursed his left arm after a tackle on Cam Munster early in the second half.

He stayed out there, but appeared to hit his arm again in a collision with teammate Hughes in an attempt to tackle Walsh.

5. Bostock hat trick

Jack Bostock had already made his mark on international rugby league with his 90-metre intercept try in the first half.

But he was not done scoring, and it proved a match-winning performance.

His second try came in the 57th minute, with the Aussies trailing by six points.

Kangaroos five-eighth Cam Munster put up a pinpoint kick for Bostock to chase.

The Australian went up against his Dolphins teammate Jamayne Isaako, beat him in the air, and scored a fantastic try to help level the scores.

But Bostock had an even better effort to win the game.

Down by two with less than four minutes to play, it was Munster again who put up a high kick for Bostock to chase.

Isaako was in a much better position this time, and appeared to have caught the footy.

But Bostock ripped the ball out of the Kiwi's arms, in turn, ripping the game away from New Zealand.