Dubbo junior Isaah Yeo helps Australian Kangaroos into World Cup final

One of the more special sights in world sport, the haka is synonymous with New Zealand's rugby union and rugby sides and has been credited with striking fear into the opposition.

Yeo, therefore, could have been forgiven for getting caught up in the moment when he faced the haka for the first time on Saturday morning (AEST) when Australia met New Zealand in the Rugby League World Cup semi-final.

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But rather than try to ignore it, the St John's junior loved every second.

"I remember being a kid watching the haka and every time the All Blacks play union or New Zealand played rugby league, it's something I really enjoy and I tune into every time," Yeo told Triple M following the gutsy semi-final win over the Kiwis.

"I wanted to really soak it in. It was obviously the first time being on the other side, playing for Australia, so I thought that was unreal."

While New Zealand began the match better, it was the Kangaroos who were ultimately victorious and a sensational 16-14 win put them through to next weekend's World Cup final.

Australia will face Samoa in the final and that match offers Yeo the chance to complete a special 2022 season.

Yeo, the Dally M captain of the year in 2022, led Penrith to a second successive NRL premiership while he also played all three Origin matches for NSW.

Having never represented Australia before the World Cup, the Dubbo product has quickly made the lock position his own and has built a formidable back-row with Penrith teammate Liam Martin and South Sydney's Cameron Murray.

"I'll be ready for a break after the next 80 minutes," he laughed when talking to Triple M about all he's achieved this season.

The gruelling semi-final win over New Zealand, one which was recorded after the Kiwis led 14-10 at half-time, was the Kangaroos' first real test of the World Cup.

The men in green and gold breezed through the opening stages of the tournament and went into the semis having scored 240 points points while conceding just 18 in its first four games.

New Zealand, meanwhile, had scraped through a tense quarter-final with Fiji and won 24-18.

"I'd like to think that holds us in good stead for next week, going into the final," Yeo said.

"We've had a game like that, where it was so physical and so fast and there was a lot of set-to-set football.

"It (win over Fiji) definitely benefited New Zealand and it took us a bit to get going."

The semi-finals lived up to the hype, with Australia's tense two-point win followed by a one-point thriller between Samoa and England.

A field goal from Stephen Crichton, another Penrith Panthers player, secured a historic 27-26 win for Samoa.

"It was everything you expect a Test match to be," Yeo said of Australia's semi.

"They started so strong and were winning the field position battle really well and obviously it took us midway through that second half to start tiring out their middle.

"It was everything I expected and more and it was a hell of a game."

The World Cup final between Australia and Samoa will kick-off at 3am (Australian time) next Sunday.

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