Rugby league-Ponga and Walsh face off again in World Cup final as NZ look to upset Australia

SYDNEY, Nov 13 : Australia and New Zealand opened the Rugby League World Cup with a humdinger of a contest four weeks ago and hopes are high for another blockbuster on Sunday when they face off again with the title on the line in Brisbane.

Kangaroos fullback Reece Walsh and his Kiwis counterpart Kalyn Ponga were the stars of the show last month in Sydney, and their pace, footwork and handling should again be vital for their teams in the Lang Park clash. 

Ponga, who made an incredible return after breaking his arm in the group clash to help New Zealand beat Tonga in the semi-finals last week, edged out Walsh to win the Golden Boot as the world's best rugby league player on Thursday night. 

The Australian-raised 28-year-old, who was given an emotional haka by his teammates after receiving the trophy, would happily trade the award for a win on Sunday in only his third game for the Kiwis.

"I'm not a part of this team to win the (Golden Boot), I'm part of this team to win the World Cup," Ponga, who was able to represent New Zealand this year after a change in the eligibility rules, said this week. 

"There's a bigger goal than that for me."

Australia and New Zealand also meet in the women's World Cup final earlier on Sunday at the same stadium, where the Jillaroos will be gunning for a fourth straight title against the Kiwi Ferns, who won the first three editions. 

NUMBER ONE RIVALRY

New Zealand have won the men's World Cup just once, stunning the Kangaroos in 2008, but will take great heart from having the upper hand over the 12-times champion Australians for much of their opening match before going down 24-22. 

The usually dominant Kangaroos took their time getting going in the tournament before finding their groove to thrash a strong Samoa side in the semi-finals last week. 

Livewire Walsh scored a hat-trick in the semi-final at the Sydney Football Stadium, but the win was built on a huge physical effort from the forwards that they will have to reproduce against a New Zealand team with plenty of powerful big men.

Cameron Murray, one of eight players in the squad who played when Australia won a third straight World Cup against Samoa four years ago, said the Kangaroos would have to be better than they were against New Zealand in Sydney. 

"The more defending we do, the harder it is to win that fatigue and field position battle in the middle," the versatile forward said this week. 

"We probably have to be a little bit smarter than just going one out off the ruck. They're big and we've got to play to our strengths with a mobile pack." 

While Australia named an unchanged squad for the men's title clash, the Kiwis will welcome back winger Ronaldo Mulitalo after a one-game ban but are sweating on the fitness of prop Naufahu Whyte. 

There are intriguing matchups all over the park, but all eyes in the sellout crowd will be on the rivalry between the two players in the number one jerseys.  

"It's always all love off the field and then when we get on the field, we aren't friends," Ponga said of his relationship with Walsh.