The 21-year-old, who will join the Super League champions in a month's time, said he was looking forward to doing his bit to help Leeds win the World Club Challenge in March after enjoying the high point of his fledgling international career on Saturday night.

New Zealand were full value for a six-try victory which left Eastwood in wonderland before he joins the Super League champions on a three-year contract.

"It's unbelieveable, just unbelievable," said the Brisbane Broncos second. "We knew we could do it, we had the belief we could do it and we never doubted that we would do it. But the feeling is just amazing.

"This will be one to look back on and tell my kids and grandkids that I played in a World Cup-winning team when I was only 21. Hopefully, it's the first of many."

It was a night of many firsts in front of a crowd of 50,559: the first time New Zealand had won a World Cup tie against Australia in 14 attempts, the first time the Kiwis had lifted a trophy that was first contested in 1954, the first time New Zealand had beaten Australia since the Tri Nations final at Leeds in 2005.

Then, as now, New Zealand had the air of a group of men on a mission, a team that was fated to endure and finally prevail against the most formidable side in the world.

Brian McClennan, the Leeds coach who gave Auckland-born and raised Eastwood his first cap, was in charge on that memorable night at Elland Road and spoke to his young protégé on Saturday night.

"'Bluey' sent me a text earlier in the week to wish me well and we had a little chat on the phone in the dressing room afterwards," said Eastwood. "He's a proud Kiwi, we're all proud Kiwis and I think we did our nation proud tonight."

New Zealand's success was all the more remarkable in that it came 12 months after they had suffered a crushing 3-0 Test series defeat by Great Britain and just five weeks after they had been beaten 30-6 by Australia in their opening fixture of the tournament.

Australia threatened to run away with the final by scoring early tries through David Williams and captain Darren Lockyer, who almost added a second only to have it ruled out by video referee Steve Ganson for bouncing the ball down.

New Zealand then steadily grew in confidence and after loose-forward Jeremy Smith barged his way over for their opening try they capitalised on a tough call against Australia by referee Ashley Klein, who ruled that Anthony Laffranchi had stripped the ball from the clutches of Benji Marshall as the stand-off broke clear on halfway.