The 2016 Anzac Test (known as the Downer Anzac Test due to sponsorship) was a rugby league test match played between Australia and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

Hunter Stadium Newcastle International Sports Centre, known as McDonald Jones Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is a multi-purpose sports stadium located in Newcastle, Australia. The ground is home to the Newcastle Knights (National Rugby League) and Newcast ...

Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...

. It was the 17th Anzac Test played between the two nations since the first was played under the Super League banner in

1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of ...

. The game marked the international coaching debut of

Mal Meninga Malcolm Norman Meninga (; born 8 July 1960) is an Australian professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of the Australian national team and a former professional rugby league footballer. Meninga is widely regarded as one of the fin ...

for Australia since taking over the position from

Tim Sheens Tim Sheens (born 30 October 1950) is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. Head Coach of the Australia national team between 2009 and 2015, he has also been the head coach of National Rugby League (NRL) clubs ...

in late 2015. Meninga, a 4 time Kangaroo Tourist (the only player ever to do so), a

World Cup A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...

winning captain and a veteran of 46 tests for Australia between 1982–94, has previously coached

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

to 9

State of Origin series The State of Origin series is an annual best-of-three rugby league series between two Australian state representative sides, the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons. Referred to as “Australian sport's greatest rivalry”, the ...

wins in 10 years (including a record 8 series wins in succession from 2006-2013) in the years prior to taking over as Kangaroos coach. This was the first of two matches between Australia and New Zealand before the

2016 Rugby League Four Nations The 2016 Rugby League Four Nations tournament (known as the 2016 Ladbrokes Four Nations, for sponsorship purposes) was the fifth staging of the Rugby League Four Nations tournament and was played in England in October and November. The series was c ...

in late October and November. The second match will be played at the

nib Stadium Perth Oval, currently branded HBF Park (under a sponsorship agreement with HBF Health Fund) and called Perth Rectangular Stadium for international football matches, is a sports stadium in Perth, the capital of the Australian state of Western ...

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...

, Western Australia on

15 October Events Pre-1600 *1066 – Following the death of Harold II at the Battle of Hastings, Edgar the Ætheling is proclaimed King of England by the Witan; he is never crowned, and concedes power to William the Conqueror two months later. *1211 ...

. Meninga broke tradition and named the Australian team a few days early, which included 4 debutants; Blake Ferguson,

Josh McGuire Joshua McGuire (born 2 March 1990) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a and for the Warrington Wolves in the Betfred Super League. He has played for Samoa and Australia at international level. He previously played for t ...

, Michael Morgan and Fijian-born

Semi Radradra Semi Radradra Turagasoli Waqavatu (born 13 June 1992) is a Fijian professional rugby union and rugby league footballer. He currently plays rugby union for the English club Bristol Bears and the Fiji national team. Nicknamed 'Semi Trailer ...

. The New Zealand team was named on 1 May.

Pre-game

National anthems

* Russ Walker - New Zealand National Anthem * Adrian Li Donni - Australian National Anthem

Squads

¹ -

Peta Hiku Peta Hiku (born 4 December 1992) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a er and for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL, and New Zealand and the New Zealand Māori at international level. He previously played ...

was originally selected to play but withdrew due to injury. He was replaced by

Gerard Beale Gerard Beale (born 18 July 1990) is a New Zealand international rugby league professional footballer who last played for the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL. Beale previously played for the Brisbane Broncos, St. George Illawarra and ...

.
² -

Shaun Kenny-Dowall Shaun Kenny-Dowall (born 23 January 1988) is a New Zealand international rugby league footballer who plays as a and er for Hull Kingston Rovers in the Super League. He is the current club captain. He previously played for the Sydney Rooste ...

and

Brad Takairangi Brad Takairangi (born 14 June 1989) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays as a er or . He has played for the Cook Islands, New Zealand and the New Zealand Māori at international level. Takairangi previously played for the Parra ...

were originally selected to play but both players withdrew. Tohu Harris was shifted from five-eighth to centre and

Kodi Nikorima Kodi Nikorima (born 3 April 1994) is an Australia-based New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a and for the Dolphins in the National Rugby League. He previously played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, the New Zealand W ...

was shifted from the bench to five-eighth as a result. *

Aidan Guerra Aidan Guerra (born 25 February 1988) is a former professional rugby league footballer who played for the Sydney Roosters, with whom he won the 2013 NRL Grand Final, and the Newcastle Knights in the NRL. He represented both Italy and Australia ...

and Michael Jennings were a part of the Kangaroos squad but did not play in the match. *

Alex Glenn Alex Glenn (born 31 July 1988) is a former professional rugby league footballer who captained and played as a and for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL. He has played for both the and at international level. Background Glenn was born in Auckl ...

and Danny Levi were a part of the Kiwis squad but did not play in the match.

Match summary

Notes: * This was the annual 2016 Anzac Test. * Australia's win ended a 3-match losing streak against New Zealand. * This was the first time New Zealand were held scoreless in a test-match since 2007. * With the victory, Australia reclaim the Bill Kelly Memorial Trophy. *

Martin Taupau Martin Taupau (born 3 February 1990) is a professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Brisbane Broncos as and and has played for both Samoa and New Zealand at international level. He previously played for the Manly Warringah Sea ...

and Sam Moa made their 10th test appearance for New Zealand. * Blake Ferguson,

, Michael Morgan and Fijian-born

made their international debuts for Australia while Dallin Watene-Zelezniak,

Kenny Bromwich Kenneath Bromwich (born 22 September 1991) is a New Zealand professional rugby league footballer who plays as a forward for the Dolphins in the National Rugby League (NRL), and New Zealand at international level. He previously played for the ...

and Manu Maʻu made their international debuts for New Zealand.

Women's Test

Women's rugby league Women's rugby league is the female-only version of Rugby league. There are women's clubs in Australia, Great Britain, and New Zealand, overseen internationally by the Women & Girls Rugby League. Australia, France, England and New Zealand co ...

match between the

Australian Jillaroos The Australia women's national rugby league team, also known as the Australian Jillaroos, or Harvey Norman Jillaroos for sponsorship reasons, represents Australia in women's rugby league. They are administered by the Australian Rugby League Comm ...

and New Zealand

Kiwi Ferns The New Zealand women's national rugby league team, also known as the Kiwi Ferns or New Zealand Kiwi Ferns, represents New Zealand in Women's rugby league. They are administered by the New Zealand Rugby League. New Zealand won the Women's Ru ...

will serve as the curtain-raiser for the main game. New Zealand coach Alan Jackson named an 18-strong squad in preparation for the Trans-Tasman Test. A few days later, Australian coach Steve Folkes announced his 18-strong squad for the Trans-Tasman Test.

Women's squads

*The 18th woman is a cover for a possible injury or suspension and unless called up to the starting line-up or the bench, does not actually play.

Match summary

References

{{2016 in rugby league 2016 in Australian rugby league 2016 in New Zealand rugby league Anzac Test Rugby league in Newcastle, New South Wales International rugby league competitions hosted by Australia