Thurston - We are the best

Johnathan Thurston insists Australia are the best team in international rugby league after their clinical victory over England in the Four Nations final.

Hosts England pushed the Kangaroos for large parts of the final at Elland Road in Leeds, but the Aussies burst clear in the closing stages.

30 unanswered points from the tourists resulted in a 46-16 victory and Thurston says that the results ensures Australia are the number one team in the world.

Although the win does not erase the memory of last year's defeat to New Zealand in the final of the World Cup, he believes it re-establishes the Kangaroos at the top of the sport.

"The Kiwis will always be world champions, but I think this shows that we are number one team after the Four Nations," Thurston told Sky Sports 2.

"It was very hard work tonight. I think the first half set up the result, we didn't have much ball but we defended well. We came in with a four-point lead, we were pretty stoked with that.

"Then after that everything started to click and we ran away with it."

The game looks likely to have marked the end of Australia captain Darren Lockyer's international career.

The Brisbane Broncos legend, who won a national record 50th cap in the victory, does not think he will play for Australia in England again.

"I think the team is back here in a couple of years but my gut feeling is I won't be back here playing for Australia," said Lockyer.

"It was potentially my last game here, so it's great to go out with a win."