'14 // 4N Wk 3 // Sat 6pm // NZ 16-14 ENG // Dunedin

[Timmah]

1. Peta Hiku 2. Jason Nightingale 3. Shaun Kenny-Dowall 4. Dean Whare 5. Manu Vatuvei
6. Kieran Foran 7. Shaun Johnson
8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Issac Luke 10. Adam Blair 11. Simon Mannering 12. Kevin Proctor 13. Jason Taumalolo

14. Thomas Leuluai 15. Greg Eastwood 16. Martin Taupau 17. Tohu Harris
18. Lewis Brown

1. Sam Tomkins 2. Josh Charnley 3. Kallum Watkins 4. Dan Sarginson 5. Ryan Hall
6. Gareth Widdop 7. Matthew Smith
8. George Burgess 9. Josh Hodgson 10. James Graham 11. Liam Farrell 12. Joel Tomkins 13. Sean O'Loughlin

14. Daryl Clark 15. Brett Ferres 16. Thomas Burgess 17. Chris Hill


MATCH OFFICIALS
Referees: Phil Bentham
Sideline Officials: Robert Hicks, Anthony Elliott
Video Referees: Henry Perenara

Hashtag: #NZvENG​

 

[Harrigan]

The officials...

*sigh*

 

[insert.pause]

The officials...

*sigh*

it's really weird, they have the neutral refs by just switching them, last week a kiwi refereed NZ game, while an Australian refereed the Australia game, now a pom is refereeing the England game and the Australian is again refereeing the Australia game. It's got to be deliberate, Australia must have had a whinge about Bentham after losing to NZ, but even then they could still have country neutral referees if Sutton refereed NZ v ENG and Perenara refereed AUS v SAM. It's very strange.

 

[Harrigan]

Also, they chose the "best refs" for last week. Magically, one of those is no longer considered one of the two best refs. Plus Bentham is actually better than both of them anyway. The Aussies didn't want to be embarrassed in an NRL run comp, and at the end of the day, they are the only team to have their own ref on 2 occasions, plus let's face it, if it is (and probably will be) an Aus/NZ final, there's no way it's going to be any one but Sutton.

Also, before anyone gets at me for moaning about last week, it was a clear no try for mine, he missed a blatant England forward pass in the build up to the finger and I don't think he actually had a bad game. It just shouldn't be an issue, especially when we have 3 refs who are all professional from the countries involved.

 

[ek999]

I await the series of posts by Evil Homer about how England are corrupt and trying to rig the results by appointing their own referee

 

[AlwaysGreen]

I ask again, are the English team the Lions? I'm thinking it's the Great Britain Lions.

 

[kia ora storm]

Kiwis by 8...

 

[Rhyno]

NZ by 16

 

[miguel de cervantes]

On the subject of ref neutrality, the issue really lies with NH versus SH refs. Australia don't like playing under NH/ESL interpretations, especially in the ruck area where Sheens likes a good wrestle whereas in the ESL the wrestle is not so apparent. So they'd probably take Perenara if they had to.

 

[lockyno1]

NZ would be best advised to tank this game and thats what I'm concerned about. Can't see Australia recovering any more than 20.

 

[Chook Norris]

Yep, what's gonna stop NZ tanking to ensure the Roos don't make the final

 

[grouch]

Yep, what's gonna stop NZ tanking to ensure the Roos don't make the final

The fact they're playing in their own country in front of their own people?

 

[Warrior@Heart]

I'm hoping England win by 8. If that happens then I think Aussie needs to beat Samoa by 26. Not because I think England will be easier to beat in the final but because I think an England/NZ rivalry will be good for the sport. Be a good lead in to the Albert Baskerville Series next year too.

 

[oikee]

We need Australia to win and New Zealand to win.
For NZ to be taken seriously, they need to beat Australia in NZ. If they cant do that, then normal channel's are resumed.
You need to beat the best to be seen as the best.
NZ need to play the Kangaroos again.
England and Samoa are just playing the kangaroos into form.

 

[TheFrog]

NZ would be best advised to tank this game and thats what I'm concerned about. Can't see Australia recovering any more than 20.

NZ did just this a few years back in 50 over cricket, didn't do them any good though. The South African team they got into the finals kicked their arse.

In this case NZ could tank themselves right out of the final.

 

[user_nat]

NZ would be best advised to tank this game and thats what I'm concerned about. Can't see Australia recovering any more than 20.

Tanking is a pretty bad idea when your spot isn't locked in.

 

[Bovrick]

NZ would be insane to not go all out in this match, Samoa have gone well but this is RL and blowout scores aren't that uncommon. Give Australia a target to knock out the team that beat them and it will be a surprise if they don't make it against a team already knocked out.

 

[insert.pause]

Games on GEM with kickoff not far away, the result has massive implications for the final, ENG win by 10+ and they are in the final.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

England will win imo.

 

[Martin Bella's Luvhandles]

England to win