Australia beats New Zealand 32-12 for a 4th straight Rugby League World Cup title

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Jack Bostock scored two tries, including the last to put the result beyond any doubt, as Australia beat New Zealand 32-12 on Sunday to claim a fourth consecutive Rugby League World Cup title.

Australia opened the tournament with a 24-22 comeback win over New Zealand, and the teams set up a rematch with emphatic semifinal wins. Australia beat Samoa 44-12 in a replay of the 2022 decider and New Zealand reached the championship match with a 34-10 win over Tonga.

The Kangaroos opened the scoring early in the final and dominated with six tries to two at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium after New Zealand blundered from the opening kickoff.

Liam Martin barged over in the second minute after clever dummyhalf work from Harry Grant near the tryline and Cameron Munster converted to give Australia a 6-0 lead.

The Kiwis leveled in the 12th after sustained pressure in the attacking quarter, with Kodi Nikorima picking up a loose ball and sending center Casey McLean over on an angled run to the line through some poor defense out wide. Jamayne Isaako converted for 6-6.

In the 19th minute, Bostock crossed on the left wing after some quick hands across the backline to make it 10-6, and Munster kicked a penalty goal soon after to restore a 6-point margin.

Center Bradman Best and backrower Martin scored tries in the 10 minutes before halftime to give Australia a 24-6 lead at the break.

It became 28-6 three minutes into the second half after fullback Reece Walsh danced through the defense and unloaded to an unmarked winger Tom Trbojevic to score in the right corner.

With 15 to go, New Zealand closed the gap to 16 points when Isaiah Papali’i ran onto a well-timed grubber kick from Nikorima to score and Jamayne Isaako converted.

Bostock's 77th-minute try, his ninth of the tournament, capped the lopsided victory and contributed to his player-of-the-match award.

“Defensively, again, magnificent,” Australia coach Kevin Walters, who won the Rugby League World Cup as a player in 1992, said. “We’re solid mate, the Aussies. We had a plan, and we executed that plan beautifully.

“The history — the Kangaroos have played for over 100 years — and the (current players) are aware of it. Their passion and drive, you saw it tonight.”

Kiwis coach Stacey Jones said his New Zealand lineup, aiming to win a World Cup for the first time since 2008, “just got beaten on the big stage.”

“We got off to a bad start, couldn’t fight our way out of it,” he said. “Errors, discipline, we gave away penalties and they got at our ruck with energy in that line speed.”

Australia's Jillaroos won the women's final 34-10, set up by Jaime Chapman's first-half hat-trick of tries, to claim a fourth consecutive Rugby League World Cup title.

The Australians scored six tries in the first half against New Zealand, which won the first three women's world titles from 2000 to 2008.

See AP’s full sports coverage here

Australia's Reece Walsh, third left, celebrates with teammates after defeating New Zealand in the final of the Rugby League World Cup in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Australia's Isaah Yeo, center, holds the trophy as his team celebrates their victory over New Zeland in the final of the Rugby League World Cup in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Australia's Liam Martin, leaps over New Zealand's Jahrome Hughes to score his team's fourth try during the final of the Rugby League World Cup in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard) CORRECTION: Corrects player's ID to Jahrome Hughes instead of Kodi Nikorima

The New Zealand team perform the haka, a traditional Maori challenge, before playing Australia before the final of the Rugby League World Cup in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Australia's Jack Bostock, center, scores his team's sencond try against New Zealand during the final of the Rugby League World Cup in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Australia's Reece Walsh, left, is tackled by New Zealand's Dane Gagai, second left, during the final of the Rugby League World Cup in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Rory McIlroy captured the season-long Race to Dubai golf title on the European tour for a record-tying eighth time by finishing second at the World Tour Championship won by Tyrrell Hatton on Sunday.

McIlroy joined Colin Montgomerie atop the all-time list of winners of the previously named “Order of Merit” award, adding another significant achievement to the resume of a player who has done pretty much everything in golf — notably the career Grand Slam.

Hatton shot 6-under 66 to win the season-ending event by five strokes on 15-under par, but the main focus was on the tense fight for the year-long points title between McIlroy and young Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra, who arrived in Dubai atop the standings just ahead of the Northern Irishman.

In a turbulent final round in which Chacarra played one group behind McIlroy, the pair regularly exchanged places in the top two spots of the projected standings. McIlroy won out, shooting a bogey-free 67 that ultimately left him in outright second place.

Chacarra needed to eagle the par-5 18th — or get some unlikely help from a couple of players finishing their rounds after him — but neither scenario transpired. He shot 69 and tied for third, dropping him to second place in the Race to Dubai standings.

McIlroy has now won the season-long title for the last five years, as well as in 2012, ‘14 and ’15.

See AP’s full golf coverage here

Eugenio Chacarra of Spain watches his shot from the ninth hole during the final round of the World Tour Golf Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits from the ninth fairway during the final round of the World Tour Golf Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his second shot on the second hole during the final round of the World Tour Golf Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)