Australia win fourth straight Rugby League World Cup as Tedesco bows out

Australia beat New Zealand 32-12 in the Rugby League World Cup final, BBC Sport reported, to win the tournament for a fourth consecutive time.

The result extends a long run of dominance. Australia have won 10 of the past 11 Rugby League World Cups, going back to 1975. The win also means they have lifted the Paul Barriere Trophy, the prize for the tournament's winners, a record 13th time.

New Zealand were playing in their first World Cup final since 2013. They had a chance to end Australia's streak, but the Kiwis could not match the favourites over the 80 minutes. Rugby league is played with 13 players a side, and the team that keeps the ball and gains ground usually controls the game. Australia did that for most of the afternoon.

Australia's Reece Walsh said after the final that his side had been written off and disrespected before the tournament started. Walsh also revealed that he played the opening match against New Zealand while not fully fit. He had spent eight weeks in rehab, the work of rebuilding strength and movement after an injury, for an ankle problem. Walsh's willingness to play through that is a reminder of how much players give up to be part of a squad.

The biggest personal news came from the team's veteran leader. James Tedesco announced his retirement from international rugby league straight after the final. Tedesco captained Australia to victory at the previous World Cup four years ago, and this win gives his international career a second major title to finish on.

For newcomers, the tournament is the sport's showcase for national teams, held every few years and separate from the club competitions that run through the year. Each win adds to a national team's reputation and gives players a moment that can last for decades. Australia will now be the side every other nation is trying to catch, and New Zealand will look back on a final they reached for the first time in more than a decade.