Kangaroos rookie Wade Graham has scored a record-equalling four tries in Australia's 52-6 rout of France in their Rugby League World Cup group match in Canberra.
Kangaroos captain Cameron Smith. Photo: Photosport
In just the second Test match of his career, Graham completed a first half hat- trick in 19 minutes on Friday before adding a fourth midway through the second half.
His four tries equalled the most by a Kangaroo in a Test match, joining an eight-player group including Jarryd Hayne, Gorden Tallis, Mat Rogers and Wendell Sailor.
It was also the Kangaroos' biggest win under coach Mal Meninga since he took over in 2016.
Four other players also got on the scoresheet, including two for Cameron Munster, as the Kangaroos made it nine consecutive Test wins in a row.
The victory all but ensures the defending champions will top pool A ahead of their final group match against Lebanon next week.
The only disappointment was a meagre crowd of 12,293 at GIO Stadium in Canberra.
The world No.6 French side showed plenty of grit to almost steal the lead midway through the first half.
But Graham's 31st minute try ended any thoughts of a stunning upset, and from there the French were no match for the Kangaroos' relentless attack.
Graham, Tyson Frizell and Aaron Woods proved too powerful against the smaller French forwards, laying the platform for Munster to set up three of the 10 tries.
The Kangaroos were leading by 14 in the 43rd minute when Munster breezed past French centre Olivier Arnaud.
The points just flowed after that, with Frizell, Billy Slater, Graham and Valentine Holmes all chipping in to push Australia past the half-century mark.
Holmes was a last-minute call-up to the side after James Maloney withdrew from the team on game day to attend to a personal matter in Sydney.
Graham opened the scoring when he bulldozed his way through four defenders in the 12th minute, before doubling up on a Billy Slater inside ball in the next set.
But just as the French looked ready to roll over, fullback Mark Kheirallah lit up the stadium with a 95-metre try, scooping up a Cameron Smith grubber and racing downfield.
Munster set up Graham's hat trick in the 31st minute, before Josh Dugan made it a 20-6 halftime lead with a mesmerising 50-metre run in the next set.
Meninga said it was exactly the performance he wanted after opening the tournament with a scratchy victory over England last week.
"That's what it's all about. It's about internal competition, everyone putting their hand up to play at the back end of the tournament if we get that far," he said.
"I couldn't have asked for a better performance by everyone really. Wade, I thought Frizz was exceptionally good tonight as well. The front-rowers were great."
-RNZ