Superstar fullback Tamika Upton has scored a double on international debut for Australia in a narrow 16-10 win over a gallant New Zealand.
Upton, who won the NRLW Dally M player of the year, was a constant threat and her speed and game sense proved the difference in a tight rugby league Pacific Championships opener in Townsville on Saturday night.
Kiwi Ferns fullback Api Nicholls had an outstanding game herself to limit Upton and make several try-saving tackles.
The Kiwi Ferns unleashed nine debutants and were a vastly-improved side to the one that lost the World Cup final by 54-4 to the Jillaroos late last year.
Jillaroos co-captain Ali Brigginshaw showcased sublime vision to dart out of dummy-half and find a flying Upton to open the scoring. It was shut the gate with the speedy custodian racing 40m untouched to score in the fifth minute.
The Kiwi Ferns hit back with winger and NRLW Dally M rookie of the year Annessa Biddle snaffling a deft lobbed bomb by wily half Raecene McGregor to score out wide.
McGregor was masterful for most of the night and the Kiwi Ferns showed great resolve on both sides of the ball to keep the Jillaroos star-studded backline relatively quiet.
The visitors muscled up on their tryline with resilience and it took barnstorming Jillaroos prop Caitlan Johnston to barge over with brute strength.
Upton, who missed last year's World Cup with a calf injury, then lit up proceedings with a try from a set play from a scrum where she drifted across field before accelerating through the defence to score with ease and give the hosts a 16-4 lead at halftime.
The Kiwi Ferns needed to be first to score after the break and blockbusting centre Mele Hufanga steamed onto the ball to leave five Jillaroos defenders in her wake to narrow the margin to just six.
Hufanga was hard to handle all night on her way to making 171 running metres and 17 tackle busts.
It was Upton who had the most decisive influence, with her 214m, three line breaks and two crucial tries world class.
Jillaroos winger Jaime Chapman was put on report for a hip-drop tackle on Biddle, who was herself placed on report for a lifting tackle on Brigginshaw and sin-binned with less than one minute remaining.
