In a heated Rugby League World Cup semi-final in Sydney, Australia's Reece Walsh delivered a performance that encapsulated both his brilliance and his unpredictability. The full-back scored three tries as the Kangaroos defeated Samoa 44-12 to secure a 16th consecutive appearance in the men's World Cup final.

A night of highs and lows

Walsh's two second-half tries helped stem a rising Samoan comeback, while his first-half effort showcased his exceptional skill. In the 32nd minute, he exploited the smallest defensive gap to score, then celebrated with a backflip that delighted the 40,000-strong crowd but worried his coaches. "That's just Reece," said Australia coach Kevin Walters. "He always brings something you don't expect. The backflip was for some sick kids who asked him to do it if he scored. You can't be against that when he's putting a smile on kids' faces."

However, Walsh's flair came with errors. He dropped a high ball that led to a Samoa try and was involved in a contentious tackle that sparked a melee. Walters defended his full-back: "He brings great stuff to the team. His catching of the high ball is difficult, and sometimes you don't get a hold of them. It's not a concern."

Samoa's frustration boils over

Samoa, playing in only their second World Cup semi-final, were left aggrieved by several refereeing decisions, including two disallowed tries. Their frustration peaked just before half-time when Spencer Leniu was sin-binned for dissent. Coach Ben Gardiner was terse in his post-match comments: "You guys saw the game. You report on it." He added: "We didn't react well to some penalties. That made it difficult to fight back. But I thought we did well in the second half."

Australia's victory maintains their perfect record in the tournament, with 170 points scored across four matches. Their last World Cup defeat was against New Zealand in the 2008 final, and they have won 22 consecutive games since. They will face the Kiwis again in next Sunday's final in Brisbane, where Walsh will likely be key in countering the threat of New Zealand full-back Kalyn Ponga, who produced a man-of-the-match display in their semi-final win over Tonga.

Walsh's performance was a microcosm of his talent: breathtaking highs and costly lows. For Australia, the hope is that in the final, his magic outweighs his mistakes.