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RUGBY LEAGUE

'GANSON MADE THE RIGHT CALL'

GLORY: Skipper Nathan Cayless

Monday November 24,2008

By Martin Richards in Brisbane

AUSTRALIA 20 NEW ZEALAND 34

STEVE GANSON was given the full backing of his Super League boss for the penalty try decision that put New Zealand on the path to World Cup glory for the first time.

Ganson, operating as the video official, judged that Lance Hohaia had been denied the chance of a touchdown after Australia winger Joel Monaghan took out the full-back as he chased a Nathan Fien kick to the line.

The Kiwis’ slender two- point lead was suddenly eight after Benji Marshall kicked the conversion before Adam Blair delivered the killer blow with three minutes left. It was a result against all predictions and has saved the World Cup and breathed new life into the international game.

Australia were unhappy with Ganson but Stuart Cummings, the referees’ controller back in England, said: “I’ve absolute confidence in the decision to award a penalty try. It was the correct decision made by an experienced referee who is used to handling big games. He is also an English referee. If it had been an Australian or New Zealand video official who had made that decision it would have been tainted with other implications.”

Australian invincibility had been shattered in a wonderful final as New Zealand – a team on the floor 12 months ago after a series whitewash by Great Britain – came back to win the game’s biggest prize under new coach Stephen Kearney.

Australia had swept all before them in their four games up to the Suncorp Stadium showdown, rattling up 180 points, but the self-belief of the gutsy

Kiwis forced them on to the back foot and into errors they would never normally make.

New Zealand football manager Dean Bell, the former Wigan favourite who skippered the Kiwis in their 1988 World Cup final loss to Australia, said: “I joined the camp for selfish reasons – to win a World Cup – something I never achieved as a player. It was a gutsy effort.”