The great green-and-gold scrumbase shoot-out has ended in a stalemate.
Nathan Cleary and Daly Cherry-Evans split the halfback duties throughout a 66-6 disposal of Italy in St Helens and a points decision for the premier playmaker could have gone either way in an effective, but not altogether dominant Kangaroos performance.
With Mal Meninga pairing the Origin rivals in the halves before settling on his first-choice 17 for the World Cup’s knock-out stages, both Cleary and Cherry-Evans finished with three try-assists apiece and an equal share of eye-catching moments.
Daly Cherry-Evans and Murray Taulagi celebrate one of 12 Australian tries.Credit:AP
Cleary took the reins during a six-try first half from the Australians and benefitted accordingly, a rare off night from the kicking tee to start the only criticism that could be levelled at Penrith’s two-time premiership-winner.
Cherry-Evans looked a first receiver shuffled out of position at times as you’d expect, but still managed to challenge the line and shrug off defenders on his way to the Italian in-goal, territory the Australians became well-accustomed to as the contest wore on.
When the Manly maestro moved into halfback after the break with a 30-0 lead, he was immediately in the thick of things with a fine offload for Isaah Yeo to finish off a long break by James Tedesco.
Cleary matched that with the best bit of playmaking of the night within minutes, piloting Liam Martin over with a peach of a short pass from five-eighth.
Tit-for-tat it went in regards to the biggest question remaining over Meninga’s squad, while Martin, Lindsay Collins and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui also furthered their claims for starts in Australia’s top forward rotation.
Yeo’s injection from the bench as a ball-playing linchpin gave the Australian attack another dimension, his clubland connection with Cleary shaping as a key, potentially pivotal element of Australia’s evolving attack.
It was Cherry-Evans who laid on the Kangaroos’ first points with a pinpoint kick across the paddock for Valentine Holmes, quick hands sending Murray Taulagi over soon after.
The simplest of hole runs from a Cleary short ball had James Tedesco strolling through, a similarly soft Campbell Graham try from a short drop-out belying the Italians defence under a mountain of Australian possession.
James Tedesco was taken off as a precaution after a knee knock against Italy.Credit:AP
A Cleary short ball for Tedesco had the skipper eyeing a second before he had reeled the pass in.
Latrell Mitchell made no mistake moments later to get himself on the scoresheet, then doubled down with a sublime one-handed offload for Taulagi’s second.
An awkward 49th minute tackle on Tedesco that had the skipper clutching at his knee was shaken off, but saw him called to the bench and wrapped in cotton wool all the same.
Reagan Campbell-Gillard was also limited to 11 minutes of action by a corked thigh.
As has been the way all during the tournament, the loudest cheer of the night was reserved for the underdogs – Ronaldo Palumbo raising the roof when he dotted down a grubber in the 53rd minute.
A couple of late tries once more to Graham and Jeremiah Nanai had Cherry-Evans throwing the final pass for both, the salvos one last effort to keep Cleary from claiming his halfback incumbency for a little while longer.
