Remember to refresh the page regularly for latest updates
NZ 4 Australia 26
Fulltime
Australia 26 (Addo-Carr, Frizell, Cook & Tedesco tries; Mitchell four goals, Cherry-Evans goal) NZ 4 (Nicoll-Klokstad try)
40th minute - From the scrum, Australia kick long and RTS runs way back to recover the ball. Smith chips ahead, Tedesco dives on the ball and the fulltime siren sounds.
That was a comprehensive win for the Kangaroos and the Kiwis will need to improve before they take on Great Britain next week.
39th minute - Tedesco chips ahead on the last tackle, but RTS meets the ball.
Smith darts from dummy half, but Johnson's pass right to Nikora goes loose again.
38th minute - DCE spills the kick-off backwards behind the goal-line, but regathers with no harm done.
37th minute - Cherry-Evans slots the goal.
36th minute - Tetevano is penalised in the shadow of his own posts, carrying on too long in a tackle. DCE will take a shot at goal to bleed the clock.
35th minute - Johnson looks left with a long pass, but misses everyone and the ball dribbles into touch.
34th minute - Manu runs from dummy half and makes good ground down the right.
33rd minute - The ball goes right and Wighton tries to tip the ball on to Cotric, but it goes forward.
32nd minute - DCE kicks from his own half and give Maumalo a chance to wind up.
Smith drops a pass cold and Australia go back on attack.
31st minute - Johnson sets Isaako free down the right, but as he's tripped up, he offloads inside and finds only Addo-Carr.
30th minute - DCE is dragged down short of the line, but somehow offloads to Trbojevic. It's given as a try on the field, but replays show he knocked on again and will lose another try.
29th minute - Australia attack from scrum 30m out.
28th minute - DCE kicks early and aimlessly, but Maumalo loses the ball again.
27th minute - Nicoll-Klokstad gives away a penalty and another back-to-back set to defend.
26th minute - On the last tackle, Blair pushes Klemmer backwards during the play-the-ball, conceding a penalty on his own line. That's dumb - he's subbed off.
25th minute - DCE runs to the line, his pass to Graham looks forward, but he's stripped anyway.
Cordner knocks the ball free from Roosters teammate Waerea-Hargreaves.
24th minute - Maumalo loses the ball in a tackle inside his own half. A crowd of just over 18,000 announced at WIN Stadium.
23rd minute - Cordner is dragged down, but on the last tackle, a pass to Mitchell goes forward. Maybe the intensity is going out of this contest.
22nd minute - Harawira-Naera enters on debut for the Kiwis.
21st minute - The Kangaroos are cutting up the Kiwis defence now. Munster kicks high, RTS rises high to claim the ball.
19th minute - Mitchell converts from in front.
18th minute - TRY to Tedesco.
Cook darts from dummy half and finds his fullback in support. He scores without a hand on him.
This game has got away from the Kiwis, who are falling away badly.
17th minute - Johnson kicks high and long, but Addo-Carr claims it on the full behind the goal-line.
16th minute - Munster kicks high to Isaako. Bromwich sets Nicoll-Klokstad away down the wing.
15th minute - Australia back in possession from the kick-off.
14th minute - Mitchell converts from in front.
13th minute - TRY to Cook.
The Kiwis are desperately keeping the ball alive on the last tackle, looking for a way to the try-line, but it comes lose and Cook pounces on it, running the length of the field to score.
That's a killer!
12th minute - Hughes is on the field for Smith. Nikora spots a gap, RTS tosses an overhead pass to Bromwich, who tries a behind-the-back pass.
11th minute - Munster nudges to the in-goal, but too long.
10th minute - Australia (50.3m) are now averaging about 10m further with each set than the Kiwis (40.9).
Ninth minute - Ah Mau loses the ball in a tackle inside his own half and the Kiwis will be backed up again.
Eighth minute - Cook nudges a kick towards the posts, but RTS is there waiting.
Seventh minute - RTS runs left and finds Bromwich. Smith probes, Johnson kicks to the in-goal, but it dribbles long.
Sixth minute - Maumalo makes two telling runs down the left and earns a penalty, when Graham hangs on too long in the tackle.
Fifth minute - Mitchell dragged down short of the line, Cook tries to offload to Munster, who knocks on.
Fourth minute - On the last, Johnson kicks high to the in-goal area, but Addo-Carr claims it on the full.
Australia have great field position on the third tackle.
Third minute - RTS looms left and finds Maumalo, who stays in the field of play.
Second minute - Australia are already camped on the NZ line, DCE kicks through, but the ball runs dead, just out of Frizell's reach.
First minute - Isaako kicks off, but too far, so immediately Australia have a penalty on halfway. There's absolutely no wind.
Halftime
Australia 12 (Addo-Carr & Frizell tries; Mitchell two goals) NZ 4 (Nicoll-Klokstad try)
40th minute - Nikora drops the ball in a hard tackle, just as the siren goes for halftime. This game is still poised, but you sense Australia have something up their sleeves.
39th minute - Isaako's drop kick goes 60m, wow!
Haas and Tedesco probe, Munster kicks behind the line, Isaako is caught behind the line, but Vaughan is penalised for offside.
38th minute - Cooks kicks long behind the goal-line and it stops. Maumalo is caught and the Kiwis will drop out.
37th minute - Johnson kicks high to Addo-Carr and he's quickly tackled, before he can unleash.
36th minute - Johnson's conversion attempt drifts across the face of the goal, but at least the Kiwis are on the board.
Tetevano runs the kick-off back, RTS makes a half break.
34th minute - TRY to Nicoll-Klokstad.
Off the scrum, RTS comes into the backline and finds CNK, who has Maumalo outside him, but dummies to score between tacklers.
33rd minute - Johnson runs on the last, then puts a little grubber to Isaako's corner, but Tedesco hoofs it into touch. Munster seems to have injured his shoulder.
32nd minute - Kiwis already in Australia half, Hamlin-Uele runs at Cook.
31st minute - Johnson kicks from halfway, hight to Tedesco, under no pressure. Later in the set, Tedesco threatens to burst through a tackle and away, but Hamlin-Uele manages to knock the ball out of his grasp.
30th minute - Australia back over halfway, Munster kicks high and RTS claims it.
28th minute - Mitchell's conversion is waved away, as he hookes the kick from the right of the posts, but the Kiwis need to score next.
27th minute - TRY to Frizell.
From the tap penalty, the ball goes right and Frizell runs a direct line to the goal, crossing in Marshall's tackle. Replays suggest he may have bobbled it, but the try is given.
26th minute - Munster finds Mitchell cutting back towards the posts and he collects a head-high tackle from Waerea-Hargreaves. That's a penalty, although replays show it wasn't as vicious as it seemed in real time.
25th minute - Turnover from Hamlin-Uele and Australia go on the attack.
24th minute - Vaughan is in the game too, Munster kicks to RTS, with room to run.
23rd minute - DCE kicks high to RTS. Haas makes his Australia debut, Hamlin-Uele for NZ.
22nd minute - Papalii runs the kick-off back for Australia. Tetevano makes his Kiwis debut off the bench.
21st minute - Mitchell converts.
20th minute - TRY to Addo-Carr.
Johnson runs right and his floaty pass is picked off by Mitchell. When he is coraled, he finds Add0-Carr inside and no-one will catch him.
That hurts.
19th minute - DCE kicks on the fifth, RTS runs it back. NZ make halfway.
18th minute - RTS offloads, Smith runs across field and Nikora is held up. Marshall grubbers, but Tedesco tidies up.
17th minute - Johnson finds touch and the Kiwis mount an attack.
16th minute - Kiwis kicking from their own half again, Johnson finds Tedesco on the 10.
Addo-Carr loses the ball in a tackle from Ah Mau. Manu is dragged into touch and the Kiwis have a penalty.
15th minute - Nicoll-Klokstad is grovelling on the ground here, he looks dazed, but jobs back into position.
From the scrum, Cotric makes a testing run and Waerea-Hargreaves dallies in the tackle. Australia take a quick tap, Papalii storms to the line and offloads, Trbojevic is awarded a try on the field, but the video reviews shows he knocked on.
Lucky escape from New Zealand. They have the feed to the scrum, even though JWH seemed to knock on first.
14th minute - Marshall's kick comes off the side of his boot and Munster goes on a run from just inside his half. Kiwis manage to stifle that attack and Maumalo almost intercepts a pass to the left.
13th minute - Papalii storms over halfway again. Munster chips high for Isaako to claim.
Kiwis still not making halfway on their sets.
12th minute - Johnson kicks to Tedesco.
11th minute - Munster grubbers through, but RTS gathers. Both teams completing all their sets so far.
10th minute - Isaako kicks long and Papalii hits it up.
Ninth minute - Mitchell lines up the penalty from just right of the posts and slots it. Australia 2-0
Eighth minute - Australia are winning the territory battle here and they draw the first penalty on the NZ 30. Marshall carrying on too long in the tackle.
Seventh minute - Kiwis are short of their 40, when Johnson kicks long. Addo-Carr runs it back.
Sixth minute - Papalii makes halfway, Munster kicks high, but RTS is safe. Isaako is dumped on his back.
Fifth minute - Johnson rolls the ball into touch on the Australian 10m for a scrum.
Fourth minute - Australia over halfway again, DCE kicks high to Maumalo, who's safe.
Tuivasa-Sheck makes a half break down the right, but he's contained.
Third minute - Johnson kicks early, Tedesco has to go behind his line to gather.
Second minute - Aussies make halfway, Cherry-Evans kicks high to RTS.
First minute - Ready for kick-off, with Australia kicking first. Ah Mau takes the first hit-up.
Marshall, Blair and Ah Mau handle next... Marshall kicks long on the last.
*****
10:09pm - The Kiwis are challenging their rivals with a fierce haka lead by captain Benji Marshall. Some real emotion in there.
Spine-tingling.
*****
10:04pm - The stadium is observing a moment's silence for former Kangaroos player Eddie Lumsden and former Kiwi Mike McLennan, both of whom died this week. Our condolences to families and friends.
*****
9:22pm - The TAB is offering $1.26 on Australia to win this test, with the Kiwis paying $3.75.
Unfortunately, the Kiwi Ferns have been unable to repeat their victory at last week's World Cup Nines, falling to the Jillaroos 28-8 in the second game of the night's programme.
Earlier, a stacked Junior Kangaroos side thrashed France 62-4, with South Sydney wing Campbell Graham scoring a hat-trick of tries.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the rugby league test between the Kiwis and the Kangaroos at Wollongong.
Last time these two rivals met, the Kiwis prevailed 26-24 at Mt Smart Stadium 12 months ago, breaking a five-game, three-year losing streak against the Kangaroos.
Just last weekend, the Aussies beat New Zealand twice - including the final - at the World Cup Nines tournament in Sydney, although comparing that format with test league is like comparing sevens with test rugby.
They're completely different.
Kiwis coach Michael Maguire has named a strong side, although the loss of giant Melbourne Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona to suspension will be a huge blow.
His playing line-up will see Canberra Raiders fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad make his NZ debut at centre, after previously representing Cook Islands at international level.
Off the bench, Zane Tetevano, Braden Hamlin-Uele and Corey Harawira-Naera are also in line to make their debuts.
Veteran half Benji Marshall has been handed the captaincy, seven years after last leading his country, becoming the most capped Kiwis skipper.
NZ Kiwis: 1-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 2-Ken Maumalo, 3-Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 4-Joseph manu, 5-Jamayne Isaako, 6-Shaun Johnson, 7-Benji Marshall, 8-Leeson Ah Mau, 9-Brandon Smith, 10-Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, 11-Briton Nikora, 12-Kenny Bromwich, 13-Adam Blair
Interchange: 14-Jahrome Hughes, 15-Zane Tetevano, 16-Braden Hamlin-Uele, 17-Corey Harawira-Naera
Australia: 1-James Tedesco, 2-Josh Addo-Carr, 3-Latrell Mitchell, 4-Jack Wighton, 5-Nick Contric, 6-Cameron Munster, 7-Daly Cherry-Evans, 8-Josh Papalii, 9-Damien Cook, 10-David Klemmer, 11-Boyd Cordner, 12-Tyson Frizell, 13-Jake Trbojevic
Interchange: 14-Ben Hunt, 15-Payne Haas, 16-Paul Vaughan, 17-Wade Graham
Pre-game: Benji Marshall better prepared for captaincy now
When Benji Marshall last led New Zealand onto the field in a test match in 2012, he was "under-qualified and under-prepared".
That's the opinion from the man himself, before a record 20th appearance as Kiwis captain in Friday night's clash with Australia in Wollongong.
Humbled to be named skipper seven years after he was last bestowed the honour, the 34-year-old said he has changed significantly since that 18-10 loss to the Kangaroos in Townsville.
"Age is probably a big part of it, I'm a lot older," he said. "I'm a lot more experienced in terms of what being a good leader takes, and acting and leading by example.
"I was probably under-prepared and under-qualified the last time, but you learn your lessons and you make mistakes to learn what's right.
"I just feel like I'm in a really good place."
Once he takes the field at WIN Stadium on Friday night, he will become the Kiwis' most-capped test skipper, surpassing the mark of 19 he held, along with Gary Freeman.
Wests Tigers legend Marshall was brought back into the team by coach Michael
Maguire for last year's test against the Kangaroos, after a six-year international hiatus.
Marshall was seen crying during the New Zealand anthem before the game.
"When you're there singing a national anthem, you think about a lot of things, and part of the Kiwi way is we all love our family and preach family," he said.
"You start thinking about those things and you get a little bit emotional. It's part of the Kiwi way."
Despite the extended time away from the national team, Marshall said he never gave up on hopes of wearing the Kiwis jersey again, making his selection as captain a dream come true.
"I didn't give up on it," he said. "I didn't think it was going to be a realistic chance - I just made myself available every year at the end of every season, no matter what.
"I just backed myself to get back here and thankfully got this opportunity."
Newshub.
