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New Zealand vs. Australia

Big Pete

Referee
Messages
28,939
Maybe a tad premature given Australia have yet to play the Poms but what do you guys think the Kiwi's will look like? Do you think any players forced their way into the full strength line up based on today's game?

Just watching the 9 replay and I'm really liking the look of McKendry. Might be worth playing him off the bench.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,411
Depends on tomorrows result. If by a miracle England win then I imagine NZ will put out their strongest team to try and knock the Roos out. If England lose it becomes a dead rubber and they may rest a few. Having said that whoever wins may take a psychological advantage into the final so who knows?
 

kuwaiti kev

Juniors
Messages
339
It will be NZ's strongest team no matter what the result for the Roos against the Poms. I don't think there will ever be an occasion where the Kiwi's would 'rest' someone against the evil aussies.

McKendry did rip into his work well and just ran straight and hard, not sure who you would drop to squeeze him in though it's a star studded forward pack.
 

Big Pete

Referee
Messages
28,939
Hope Australia line up something like...

1. Billy Slater
2. Brett Morris
3. Brent Tate
4. Willie Tonga
5. Lote Tuqiri
6. Darren Lockyer
7. Cooper Cronk
8. David Shillington
9. Cam Smith
10. Petero Civoniceiva
11. Luke Lewis
12. Sam Thaiday
13. Paul Gallen

14. Greg Bird
15. Nate Myles
16. Tom Learoyd Lahrs
17. Mat Scott
 

user_nat

Coach
Messages
12,386
Only 55 minutes through the England game here, but the one change i would like to make is get rid of Watmough. Probably bring Scott in and move Myles to the back row.
 

The 18th Man

Juniors
Messages
1,602
Too early for me to put too much thought in to it though a couple players I'd remove from the Australian squad; Anthony Watmough and Kurt Gidley.

I'd bring in Greg Bird, a guy I admit to forgetting about as a squad member to be honest. I'd start Shillington, I thought Sheens would start him tonight to be truthful.

Like the look of your side Pete. It won't be far off. I don't think Sheens will want to chop his backline around this close to the final. I wouldn't be surprised to see Lawrence combine with Lote though.
 

Big Pete

Referee
Messages
28,939
Yep, I wouldn't be against the Lawrence selection either if it's for the sake of combination, although with that said I did think the Tonga/Tuqiri combination improved.
 

The 18th Man

Juniors
Messages
1,602
Yep, I wouldn't be against the Lawrence selection either if it's for the sake of combination, although with that said I did think the Tonga/Tuqiri combination improved.

Agree. They were a lot better than the PNG game. Tate to Morris though, well...I only recall Morris getting the ball off Tate once, perhaps twice. It's been that way with Tate though since he first came in to the league. He backs himself and more often than not he comes up trumps. His winger though doesn't see much ball.
 

user_nat

Coach
Messages
12,386
Agree. They were a lot better than the PNG game. Tate to Morris though, well...I only recall Morris getting the ball off Tate once, perhaps twice. It's been that way with Tate though since he first came in to the league. He backs himself and more often than not he comes up trumps. His winger though doesn't see much ball.

Doesn't help that Morris was inside Tate fairly often.
 

The 18th Man

Juniors
Messages
1,602
Doesn't help that Morris was inside Tate fairly often.

Perhaps that's because Tate's tendency is run to the right hand side of the field more often than not ;-) Any winger playing outside Tate will see the ball 90% of the time coming in from the wing back toward the posts.
 

pcpp

Juniors
Messages
2,266
I'd like to see RLIF/ARL and NZRL get together and propose the next two Australia v NZ matches become a two match series for the Four Nations.

One match at home for each country, winner of the Four Nations is on aggregate if 1 match is won each.

Otherwise, why risk your best players for a dead rubber?

No way ARL will agree though.
 
Messages
17,822
Perhaps that's because Tate's tendency is run to the right hand side of the field more often than not ;-) Any winger playing outside Tate will see the ball 90% of the time coming in from the wing back toward the posts.

Tate is so predictable...he has no step and simply attempts to beat his opposition with pace. The Kiwis will have no troubles defending against him this week.
 

hutch

First Grade
Messages
6,810
I'd like to see RLIF/ARL and NZRL get together and propose the next two Australia v NZ matches become a two match series for the Four Nations.

One match at home for each country, winner of the Four Nations is on aggregate if 1 match is won each.

Otherwise, why risk your best players for a dead rubber?

No way ARL will agree though.

i dont rate matches or tournaments won on aggregates. the final is the major attraction of this tournament. this weekend will be a genuine test still as both teams will give their all in front of a massive crowd in nz.
 

Eels Dude

Coach
Messages
19,065
i dont rate matches or tournaments won on aggregates. the final is the major attraction of this tournament. this weekend will be a genuine test still as both teams will give their all in front of a massive crowd in nz.

It really is silly though for this game to be in week 3 of the tournament when most would expect an Australia v NZ final, which is a guarentee now. Wouldn't surprise me to see either side rest their best players given both sides are in the final. It really is a nothing game this wknd.
 

ozbash

Referee
Messages
26,915
Seasoned forwards Adam Blair and Frank Pritchard and emerging international Ben Matulino were today named to return for the Kiwis' Four Nations clash against the Kangaroos at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday night.
The 24-year-old Blair, Pritchard, who celebrates his 27th birthday today, and Matulino (21) all missed the 76-12 rampage against Papua New Guinea in Rotorua last weekend.
But coach Stephen Kearney has immediately recalled them for the feature attraction of the historic doubleheader at New Zealand rugby union's stronghold.
Blair has played 19 tests, Pritchard 20 and Matulino five but, after appearing against Toa Samoa and England, they were rested for the test against the Kumuls.
In their absence, Penrith prop Sam McKendry was brought in to make his debut, Melbourne's Sika Manu started in the second row and Sydney Roosters forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves came onto the bench for Matulino.
Blair now comes back for McKendry and Pritchard and Matulino secure places on a five-man interchange bench while Manu retains his starting role in the second row.
"As it has been throughout this campaign, it was a really difficult side to select," Kearney said.
"If anything, it has got harder every week with all players pushing for spots. It's obviously disappointing for those who miss out but our commitment is to pick the side we believe is the best suited to perform for us against Australia this week."
While the two teams clash again on Saturday week in the Four Nations final in Brisbane, Kearney said the sole focus was on this week's encounter.
"Our only interest is this week and this match against the Kangaroos," he said.
"Every test we play is extremely important to us, especially when we have the chance to test ourselves against Australia. We don't go along with any talk of this being a dead rubber. It's a test against Australia and this is also a really important occasion for the game in our country with the match being played at Eden Park."
Blair's inclusion means there is just one change to the starting forward pack and there are two on the bench but the backline remains unchanged from the one used against the Kumuls.
In that match, left centre Junior Sa'u and his wing partner Sam Perrett both scored hat-tricks while right winger Jason Nightingale and fullback Lance Hohaia also scored tries.
When the Kiwis and Australia last met in the Anzac Test in Melbourne in May, the home side prevailed 12-8 on a wet night.

England's Richard Silverwood has been appointed to control the match. He was originally due to referee the Kiwis' encounter with Papua New Guinea before injury resulted in him being replaced by Australia's Ben Cummins.
NEW ZEALAND: Lance Hohaia, Jason Nightingale, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Junior Sa'u, Sam Perrett, Benji Marshall (captain), Nathan Fien, Frank-Paul Nuuausala, Thomas Leuluai, Adam Blair, Sika Manu, Simon Mannering, Jeremy Smith. Interchange (one to be omitted): Issac Luke, Greg Eastwood, Frank Pritchard, Ben Matulino, Bronson Harrison.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/4302843/Kiwis-recall-rested-forwards-for-Kangaroos
 

Jesbass

First Grade
Messages
5,654
No, he has apparently lost it to Pritchard, although he (Harrison) is 18th man for this match.
 

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