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    The Australian Mens and Womens Open won their respective titles in the 4th World Cup of Touch, on a day that will be remembered for several significant events. New Zealand winning their first World Cup Opens title in the Mixed, the previously untouchable Australian Women's Open winning by a single touchdown and the remarkable display of Touch demonstrated by the Australian Men's Open.
    The so called gap between Australia and New Zealand in the Open's divisions seemed all but a memory, when first the Kiwi Mixed Open team won their first ever World Cup title 6-4, and secondly the Aussie womens were pushed to the limits, getting home on a Gabrielle Maher intercept 4-3. However someone forgot to tell the Australian Mens Open. The Kiwi's have been desperately unlucky in recent Trans Tasman series going down 2 games to 1 after winning the opening games in both 1997 (Brisbane) and 1998 (Auckland). These results followed them defeating Australia in the round and semi final before capitulating 5-1 in the final of the 3rd World Cup in Hawaii in 1995.
    The bottom line is that the Kiwi men thought that this was definitely going to be their tournament, they had come to play and were ready to grab their first World Cup victory, even without New Zealand legend Peter Walters. However the Australians went about their business all week keeping mostly to themselves, secure in the knowledge that this was probably going to be the last time three of the greatest players ever to wear the Green and Gold were going to play for Australia. The crowd anticipated a gigantic struggle and New Zealand went into the match slight favourites after the Aussies struggled to over come Samoa in their semi final.
   From the opening whistle the Australian machine began to rumble and quickly took control of the match. They scored off their opening two possessions to be ahead 2-0 after only 5 minutes. Tries to Brent O'Shanesey and Andrew Galea left the Kiwi's stunned, and if anything they looked a little nervous. The Australian's lead by Captain Scott Notley seized the opportunity and set out to put the Kiwi's away in the first half. Shane Frederiksen was on fire directing play while Mark Boland, Scott Notley and the McDonald brothers, Gavin and Trent continued to pressure their opposition.
    Australia would score three more tries in the opening stanza (Scott Notley, Stephen Murphy, Trent McDonald). A 5 nil scoreline in 20 minutes of Touch was just an awesome display at any level, let alone in a World Cup final. The crowd, New Zealand and the Australians looked stunned about what had transpired. The Kiwi's rallied in the second half knowing they had to score first to have any hope, however after an early struggle Andrew Galea hit a gap off a beautiful Mark Boland pass to send New Zealand reeling at 6-0. The Kiwi's scored two quick tries to give them some hope but veteran Bob Brindell sliced through the their defence getting over from dummy half and send a long cutout to Andrew Galea who scored his 3rd try for the match and sealed the victory for Australia.
    The Australian womens dominated the first half of their final showing superior ball control and finesse on the line. The Kiwi's has no answer and ended the first half a little relieved that the deficit was only three. Tries to Angela Barr, Jody English and Karina Castle set up the lead and an Australian victory looked a mere formality. The New Zealand girls were a different team in the second half and continually pressured the girls from down under. At 3-2, with New Zealand pressuring the Australian line, sensation Gabrielle Maher grasped an intercept and ran 50 m to score a great touch down and basically seal the game for the Aussies. New Zealand scored a late try to give them a hope of sending the game into extra time, but gritty defense and a never say die attitude got the Australian girls home with a 4-3 victory.
    The Mixed open final was a tale of two halves, the Wayne Bambury lead Aussies played determined touch to get ahead 3-2 at the break. The ACT contingent of Micheal McGovern, Jason Chaffey and Matthew Curran played strongly, as did Nadina Bambury and Katie Curtis. However in the second half New Zealand skipped away and despite the efforts of veteran Barry Chenhall the Australians could not peg back a 3 try deficit and lost 6-4. It was a shattering experience for the Aussies, and sheer jubilation for the Kiwis. The Open's hoodoo in the World Cup had been broken.

Click here to view the story of the 1995 World Cup in Hawaii.