Kiwis unveil plan to rewrite record books in World Cup opener
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The chance to create history is driving the Kiwis’ bid to stun Australia in the opening game of the Rugby League World Cup at Allianz Stadium.
The clash on Thursday October 15 will mark the first international game at the new venue, with the old Sydney Football Stadium boasting a long history of Test matches dating back to 1988.
The ground was a happy hunting ground for the Kangaroos, who won 11 of 13 games, including a 34-0 win over Lebanon at the 2017 World Cup.
The Kiwis, however, endured a lean run, losing all seven international matches they played at the old stadium.
The RLWC returns to Australia and the Pacific
While some teams are intimidated by the past, the current New Zealand squad has thrived on turning historic results upside down.
They will carry that mindset into the World Cup opener, as they look to stun the Kangaroos and claim a drought-breaking victory at Allianz Stadium.
“We’re not playing for six months but just hearing about the chance to win our first game [at Allianz] gets me excited,” Sorensen said. “It’s an opportunity we’re really looking forward to.
“We’ve touched on the 2008 World Cup and it’s nice to have those incredible memories from past players. Now it’s something we want to achieve with this group and it’s an opportunity we’re ready for and have been building nicely towards.
“Our leadership with [coach] Stacey Jones and [captain] James Fisher-Harris has set us up for a great opportunity and we’re excited for the challenge ahead.”
Match: Australia v New Zealand
Round 1 -
home Team
Australia
away Team
New Zealand
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Like many of his New Zealand teammates, some of Sorensen’s earliest memories of international rugby league were formed at the 2008 World Cup.
The Panthers forward was a 15-year-old watching with his family as Benji Marshall led the Kiwis to a stunning upset victory over the Kangaroos in the final at Suncorp Stadium.
Sorensen has been determined to play at a World Cup ever since and finally got the chance to do so when he made his New Zealand debut during the 2022 tournament.
The Kiwis are still stinging from the two-point loss to Australia in the semi-final and have spent the past four years building towards this season’s event.
With two Pacific Championships triumphs in that time, Sorensen declared they are ready to emulate the heroics of the 2008 team.
Kangaroos v Kiwis - Grand Final, 2008
“If you look across the side and the way we performed in the Pacific Champs, it was a great stepping stone in the right direction,” Sorensen said.
“We know we still have a lot of work to do but our forward pack laid the platform there and did an incredible job for us. We’ve got some nice young talent coming through as well so it’s exciting times ahead.”
Such is the depth in the Kiwis squad, Sorensen, a four-time premiership winner, faces a battle to earn a spot in the match-day 19.
James Fisher-Harris, Joe Tapine, Moses Leota and Naufahu Whyte are four of the best props in the game, Briton Nikora and Isaiah Papalii are destructive ball carriers on the edge, and Xavier Willison and Erin Clark headline a new generation of physical New Zealand forwards.
Kiwis v Toa Samoa - Final, 2025
It’s an exciting prospect for Sorensen, who knows Australia won’t be the Kiwis’ only challengers at the World Cup.
After playing the Kangaroos in the tournament opener, New Zealand will host Cook Islands in Christchurch before taking on Fiji on the Gold Coast.
The top two teams from Pool A will head to the semi-finals, while England, Tonga and Samoa battle it out on the other side of the draw.
Given the talent on display across the board, Sorensen recognises there is no margin for error if the Kiwis want to experience a deep run to the knockout stages.
“The World Cup is when all the countries come together,” he said. “We’ve got all the Pacific nations, Australia and England all on the one stage and it’s exciting to be part of.
“You look at all the players that are involved and their talent, they are all eager to be there on the world stage and represent their culture and country. It’s exciting and it takes these games to another level.”
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