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Big bucks if Brits win Tri Nations
3 November 2004
Great Britain players have been handed a $14,700-a-man incentive to beat Australia and win the Tri Nations rugby league series.
Great Britain officials said today that all prizemoney will be handed over to Brian Noble's 24-strong Lions squad if they end Australia's world domination in the final on November 27.
There is $245,300 on offer for the competition winners while the beaten finalists pick up $122,650 - while the wooden-spoonists will collect $61,330.
But first Britain needs to win two of its three remaining matches, starting with Saturday's 100th Test against New Zealand at Huddersfield, if they are to set up a final showdown with the Kangaroos.
The Australians have already qualified for the decider and are said to be offering $10,000 a man for a win at Elland Road.
The Lions are expecting a heavy physical confrontation with the Kiwis who go into the match after a draw and a loss to Australia.
But Ryan Bailey, the rising star of the Great Britain pack, says they are ready "smash" the Kiwi forwards around.
The 20-year-old Leeds prop had his appetite for Test-match rugby wetted when he made his debut as substitute in last Saturday's 12-8 defeat by Australia.
Superbly led by Stuart Fielden, Britain more than matched the Kangaroos up front but Bailey knows there will be little let-up from the Kiwis, who gave the Aussies a torrid time in the tournament opener in Auckland.
"It is going to be up the middle," Bailey said. "They have got some big forwards and they work hard.
"They are all big lads but we will smash them around. It will be a tough game in the middle but we have got good halfbacks and outside backs to win the game."
Bailey, the youngest member of Britain's 24-strong squad, played his way into the Test team on the back of a terrific season with the Rhinos which culminated in last month's Grand Final triumph.
That helped to make up for the disappointment of 2003 when he missed the last two months of the season after being jailed, along with Leeds and Great
Britain team-mate Chev Walker, for his part in a late-night city-centre brawl.
Both players had been included in David Waite's initial 28-strong Great Britain squad for the New Zealand Test series so Bailey was delighted to get his chance 12 months on.
"I had a setback and just wanted to get back into it and have a good year at Leeds," he said.
"This came as a bonus and I took it with both hands."
One of five debutants at the City of Manchester Stadium, the no-nonsense Bailey was far from over-awed by the occasion and said he has quickly settled into the squad.
"It was a good atmosphere," he said. "It doesn't affect me, I just get out there and do the business. It was fast and furious and you have got to be on the front foot.
"There is a great mixture of players - young lads and old fellas - and the team spirit is good. That was our first game and we know we can beat them."
Bailey was waiting to learn if he is to come up against his Leeds teammate Ali Lauitiiti, who joined up with the Kiwis at the weekend after being given permission to visit relatives in the United States.
The former New Zealand Warriors second-rower won the last of his 11 caps in October last year, when he was part of the Kiwis' memorable 30-12 defeat of the Kangaroos in Auckland, and is hoping for a recall when coach Daniel Anderson names his line-up.
3 November 2004
Great Britain players have been handed a $14,700-a-man incentive to beat Australia and win the Tri Nations rugby league series.
Great Britain officials said today that all prizemoney will be handed over to Brian Noble's 24-strong Lions squad if they end Australia's world domination in the final on November 27.
There is $245,300 on offer for the competition winners while the beaten finalists pick up $122,650 - while the wooden-spoonists will collect $61,330.
But first Britain needs to win two of its three remaining matches, starting with Saturday's 100th Test against New Zealand at Huddersfield, if they are to set up a final showdown with the Kangaroos.
The Australians have already qualified for the decider and are said to be offering $10,000 a man for a win at Elland Road.
The Lions are expecting a heavy physical confrontation with the Kiwis who go into the match after a draw and a loss to Australia.
But Ryan Bailey, the rising star of the Great Britain pack, says they are ready "smash" the Kiwi forwards around.
The 20-year-old Leeds prop had his appetite for Test-match rugby wetted when he made his debut as substitute in last Saturday's 12-8 defeat by Australia.
Superbly led by Stuart Fielden, Britain more than matched the Kangaroos up front but Bailey knows there will be little let-up from the Kiwis, who gave the Aussies a torrid time in the tournament opener in Auckland.
"It is going to be up the middle," Bailey said. "They have got some big forwards and they work hard.
"They are all big lads but we will smash them around. It will be a tough game in the middle but we have got good halfbacks and outside backs to win the game."
Bailey, the youngest member of Britain's 24-strong squad, played his way into the Test team on the back of a terrific season with the Rhinos which culminated in last month's Grand Final triumph.
That helped to make up for the disappointment of 2003 when he missed the last two months of the season after being jailed, along with Leeds and Great
Britain team-mate Chev Walker, for his part in a late-night city-centre brawl.
Both players had been included in David Waite's initial 28-strong Great Britain squad for the New Zealand Test series so Bailey was delighted to get his chance 12 months on.
"I had a setback and just wanted to get back into it and have a good year at Leeds," he said.
"This came as a bonus and I took it with both hands."
One of five debutants at the City of Manchester Stadium, the no-nonsense Bailey was far from over-awed by the occasion and said he has quickly settled into the squad.
"It was a good atmosphere," he said. "It doesn't affect me, I just get out there and do the business. It was fast and furious and you have got to be on the front foot.
"There is a great mixture of players - young lads and old fellas - and the team spirit is good. That was our first game and we know we can beat them."
Bailey was waiting to learn if he is to come up against his Leeds teammate Ali Lauitiiti, who joined up with the Kiwis at the weekend after being given permission to visit relatives in the United States.
The former New Zealand Warriors second-rower won the last of his 11 caps in October last year, when he was part of the Kiwis' memorable 30-12 defeat of the Kangaroos in Auckland, and is hoping for a recall when coach Daniel Anderson names his line-up.
