Australia 48 Lebanon 4: Kangaroos far too strong in flat start to World Cup knockout rounds

Blowout scores in the group stage are palatable, a necessary evil in rugby league's quest to grow the sport.

The serious business begins in the knockout rounds and ultimately the organisers will be defined by what happens over the next two weeks.

It was an inauspicious start in front of a modest crowd of 8,206 at the John Smith’s Stadium, with West Yorkshire rugby league fans perhaps saving their money to see Australia in a genuine contest at Elland Road next Friday.

New Zealand lie in wait – should they avenge their 2017 quarter-final defeat by Fiji in Hull – and will provide a far sterner test than a passive Lebanon outfit that showed promise in the group stage.

As he so often does, electrifying winger Josh Addo-Carr stole the show, helping himself to five tries to move clear of England's Dom Young as the tournament's top scorer with 11.

Australia were 30-0 up at the break and cruising, allowing coach Mal Meninga to give James Tedesco the second half off.

Lebanon threw more at the Kangaroos in the second half and got on the board through Josh Mansour – but it was another thoroughly one-sided contest.

There is hope for the tournament in the shape of two of the most competitive semi-finals in living memory, should the next few days go to script, as well as Sunday’s Pacific showdown between Tonga and Samoa.

Events in Huddersfield confirmed what the rugby league world knew already: it is going to take a hell of a team to beat Australia.

It took the Kangaroos just five minutes to get the scoreboard moving, Latrell Mitchell putting Addo-Carr over in the corner.

Fourteen minutes later, the Canterbury Bulldogs flyer was celebrating a hat-trick, backing up a break by Tedesco to score his second before benefiting from a ball steal by Cameron Munster close to the line.

Mitchell got in on the act after strong play by Isaah Yeo and Cameron Murray took advantage of some abject defending to claim a double.

The game was over as a contest by the interval and there was an element of Australia taking their foot off the gas after Addo-Carr added a fourth in the early stages of the second half following a dreadful pass by Mikey Tannous near his own line.

Lebanon showed more adventure and had joy in stretching a defence that only conceded three tries in the group stage.

Mansour – part of the Australia side that beat the Cedars in the 2017 tournament – enjoyed a moment to savour when he benefited from a mistake by stand-in full-back Munster to touch down Mitchell Moses' kick.

Munster quickly atoned for his error, showing good vision to kick in behind to give Addo-Carr his fifth try.

Valentine Holmes – something of a bystander on the opposite flank – must have been fearing for his record of six tries in a single World Cup match but the last word went to Liam Martin with a strong finish from close range.

It was a statement performance by the 11-time champions and they appear to have more in reserve.

Providing New Zealand see off the Fijians on Saturday night, Elland Road will be the place to be next Friday.