To produce a 14-point victory over a team like Australia is a remarkable achievement. To defeat them in their own backyard on the esteemed turf of Lang Park is something quite special. To do it in a Rugby League World Cup final is nothing short of astonishing.

If you had shopped around yesterday before kick-off you would have got odds of at least 5/1 for a New Zealand victory.  Some agencies were offering as high as 9/1. There were unconfirmed reports of punters placing up to $100,000 bets on Australia, who were paying as “high” as 1.18.

Australia had won 16 and drawn one of their last 20 games against New Zealand. They were on an eight-match winning streak against the Kiwis and had never lost to them in a World Cup game in 13 matches. They had won their last 13 games at Lang Park, their recent matches yielding an average winning margin of 26 points.

In their last game Australia had won 30-6 in a canter. They had close to 60% possession, made over 50% more running metres and executed seven line breaks to New Zealand’s one. To be harsh, there was nothing in the New Zealand arsenal or game plan to suggest they could even match the Kangaroos. And, maybe with the exception of winger Manu Vatuvei, man for man the Australian team was far superior in every facet to their Kiwi opposition.

But, courtesy of a remarkable 34-20 result, New Zealand will now be Rugby League World Champions until at least 2013. This is the first time they have ever won the World Cup and they did it against a team that had previously won nine championships, the last six in a row, proving that World Cup tournaments aren't always won by the best team in the world.

The most significant difference in the sides was the build-up to the tournament. New Zealand had assembled as a team well before the World Cup commenced, and played two warm-up games before losing their opening match to Australia. They then pummelled the Kumuls before playing England twice. In the first game they had to come back to win the game, and in the second had to hold on against a fast finishing England team.

Remember also that this year New Zealand lost Sonny Bill Williams and, before the finals lost skipper Roy Asotasi as well as first -hoice players Brent Webb, Frank Pritchard and Jeff Lima.

By comparison, the Kangaroos played no build-up games and in the tournament proper their smallest win was their 24-point v ictory7 over New Zealand. They then dished out three near-50 scorelines, their last game before the final a 52-0 demolition of Fiji. Many, including New Zealand assistant coach Wayne Bennett, were suggesting that this was the greatest Kangaroos team ever seen.

But, as the All Blacks have learned, the difference between a very good team and a great team is the ability to win a World Cup – something the Australian League class of 2008 will now have to live with.

Australia started well enough as Billy Slater set up Darren Lockyer to score the opening points and young winger David Williams scored to give Australia a 10-0 lead. Only a knock-on by Lockyer prevented them opening the floodgates. Tries from Jeremy Smith and Jerome Ropati kept the Kiwis in touch, but Lockyer went nover just before half-time to give the Kangaroos a 16-12 lead.

A fine try by Lance Hohaia had New Zealand in front before Slater tossed the mother of all speculative passes to gift Benji Marshall a try that made it 22-16 to the Kiwis with just under a quarter to play. Ironic that less than a week ago Slater was awarded the “best player of the world" award.

The game was sealed with a late double, and despite one of the tries being a contentious penalty try, there was no denying the 22-4 second half dominance of the New Zealanders. They came out hard in the second half and upset the class and control of the vaunted Australian team, and will now carry the plaudits of this victory for many years to come.

Before the game, most of the Australians - including coach Ricky Stuart - had claimed that New Zealand would be difficult to beat, had improved, had better build-up and so on. What I had thought to be diplomatic banter proved to be true, with a result that not only was an upset, but an accentuation of credibility in what proved to be an amazing tournament – if you’re a Kiwi!