AUSTRALIA V NEW ZEALAND - A CLOSER LOOK AT THE FOUR NATIONS FINAL:
* Australia has appeared in all eight of the Tri/Four Nations Finals since 1999, winning five and losing three.
* All three losses have come against New Zealand (2005, 2010 and 2014), with Australia winning just two against the Kiwis (1999 and 2006).
* Including World Cup Finals, all four of Australia's losses in major tournament finals have come against New Zealand.
* Overall Australia has won just five of nine against the Kiwis in finals, winning just two of the past six (2006 Four Nations and 2013 World Cup).
* After losing three straight against the Kiwis, Australia has now won its past three against them by a combined 56-14 under Mal Meninga.
* The Kangaroos have won their past 16 matches in Europe, dating back to their 20-all draw with New Zealand in the 2009 Four Nations.
* In England, Australia has won its past 11 matches, and has lost just three of 31 Tests (with one draw) since the beginning of 2000.
* Australia captain Cameron Smith will play his 33rd consecutive Test match, becoming just the second Australian player to do so behind Clive Churchill, who played 35.
* Darius Boyd has won all 21 of his Tests and has scored 15 tries, including nine tries in 12 matches against New Zealand.
* Johnathan Thurston is Australia's leading point scorer in Test match history with 362 points, and the all-time leading goalkicker with 155 goals.
* Greg Inglis has scored 31 tries in just 38 Test matches. He now sits in third place on the all-time try scoring list for Australia.