Australian officials have sought the intervention of the International Rugby League Federation over fears New Zealand plan to repeat last year's ploy of narrowing the playing field and reducing the in-goal for tomorrow night's second Tri-Nations Test at Ericsson Stadium.
ARL chief executive Geoff Carr said the Kangaroos would measure the dimensions of the ground when they trained there today after the Kiwis trimmed seven metres off the width of the field and cut the in-goals to a minimum six metres the last time the two countries met in Auckland.
Carr said the New Zealand officials had ignored requests to confirm the playing field would be the standard 68 metres wide and NZRL chairman Selwyn Pearson yesterday refused to comment when contacted by the Herald.
"This isn't a game run by the New Zealand Rugby League, it is run by the International Rugby League Federation and I believe there will be some communication [between them] overnight," Carr said.
"The Tri-Nations is managed by a sub-committee on behalf of the federation that consists of a representative of each nation and it will be up to the sub-committee to make a ruling and whatever the sub-committee says goes."
In the NRL, all grounds must be 68 metres wide but the Kiwis last year exploited a loophole in the international rules to provide flexibility for playing matches at venues with smaller playing areas, such as Loftus Road in London where Great Britain will host the Kiwis next week.
With international rules stating that the field must be a maximum of 68 metres wide but not specifying any minimum, the Kiwis dismissed Australia's complaints after the 16-16 draw at North Harbour Stadium by saying the pitch could have been the width of a cigarette paper.
"We're not playing in the NRL anymore and we will be working well within the international rules, that's all I will say at this stage," Pearson said.
"No one will know how wide it is until they get out there and measure it themselves. International rules say 68 metres maximum, and I think that's a lovely rule. Carlaw Park used to be 59 metres wide."
A spokesman for Ericsson Stadium, which is expected to host a sell-out crowd after New Zealand's 38-28 upset win in Sydney last Saturday night, said groundstaff were complying with instructions from the NZRL but declined to reveal what they were.
However, New Zealand television reported that the markings for the sideline on the eastern side of the ground appeared different to those from Warriors matches played at Ericsson Stadium this season and, with wet conditions forecast, there is a view that a more condensed game would suit the big Kiwis forwards.
Shorter in-goals would also hinder the kicking game of Australian halves Andrew Johns and Darren Lockyer.
"The international rule clearly states that the maximum field size is 100 metres by 68 metres but note four [of the rules] that Selwyn refuses to read for some reason or other says that in all adult games the field should be as close to the maximum as possible," Carr said.
"It is only written like that to allow games on fields that aren't big enough so the only real difference between the international rule and the NRL rule is that the NRL stipulates an in-goal area of eight metres and the international rule is between six metres and 11 metres.
"We've asked them to let us know what the in-goal is as well, out of courtesy and they haven't replied to that, either, so we will measure it up when we're there tomorrow for training but hopefully it can be resolved before then."
Australia prop Steve Price, who is the Warriors captain, said before the Kangaroos flew out of Sydney late yesterday that he had heard the Kiwis were planning to narrow the field.
"This is going to be just as tough, or if anything tougher than last week," Price said.
LONG AND SHORT OF IT
NRL GROUND DIMENSIONS
Field width: 68 metres (unless otherwise approved)
Length (goal line to goal line): 100 metres
In-goal areas: 8 metres (unless otherwise approved)
INTERNATIONAL DIMENSIONS
Field width: 68 metres (maximum)
Length: 100 metres (maximum)
In-goal areas: 6-11 metres
ARL chief executive Geoff Carr said the Kangaroos would measure the dimensions of the ground when they trained there today after the Kiwis trimmed seven metres off the width of the field and cut the in-goals to a minimum six metres the last time the two countries met in Auckland.
Carr said the New Zealand officials had ignored requests to confirm the playing field would be the standard 68 metres wide and NZRL chairman Selwyn Pearson yesterday refused to comment when contacted by the Herald.
"This isn't a game run by the New Zealand Rugby League, it is run by the International Rugby League Federation and I believe there will be some communication [between them] overnight," Carr said.
"The Tri-Nations is managed by a sub-committee on behalf of the federation that consists of a representative of each nation and it will be up to the sub-committee to make a ruling and whatever the sub-committee says goes."
In the NRL, all grounds must be 68 metres wide but the Kiwis last year exploited a loophole in the international rules to provide flexibility for playing matches at venues with smaller playing areas, such as Loftus Road in London where Great Britain will host the Kiwis next week.
With international rules stating that the field must be a maximum of 68 metres wide but not specifying any minimum, the Kiwis dismissed Australia's complaints after the 16-16 draw at North Harbour Stadium by saying the pitch could have been the width of a cigarette paper.
"We're not playing in the NRL anymore and we will be working well within the international rules, that's all I will say at this stage," Pearson said.
"No one will know how wide it is until they get out there and measure it themselves. International rules say 68 metres maximum, and I think that's a lovely rule. Carlaw Park used to be 59 metres wide."
A spokesman for Ericsson Stadium, which is expected to host a sell-out crowd after New Zealand's 38-28 upset win in Sydney last Saturday night, said groundstaff were complying with instructions from the NZRL but declined to reveal what they were.
However, New Zealand television reported that the markings for the sideline on the eastern side of the ground appeared different to those from Warriors matches played at Ericsson Stadium this season and, with wet conditions forecast, there is a view that a more condensed game would suit the big Kiwis forwards.
Shorter in-goals would also hinder the kicking game of Australian halves Andrew Johns and Darren Lockyer.
"The international rule clearly states that the maximum field size is 100 metres by 68 metres but note four [of the rules] that Selwyn refuses to read for some reason or other says that in all adult games the field should be as close to the maximum as possible," Carr said.
"It is only written like that to allow games on fields that aren't big enough so the only real difference between the international rule and the NRL rule is that the NRL stipulates an in-goal area of eight metres and the international rule is between six metres and 11 metres.
"We've asked them to let us know what the in-goal is as well, out of courtesy and they haven't replied to that, either, so we will measure it up when we're there tomorrow for training but hopefully it can be resolved before then."
Australia prop Steve Price, who is the Warriors captain, said before the Kangaroos flew out of Sydney late yesterday that he had heard the Kiwis were planning to narrow the field.
"This is going to be just as tough, or if anything tougher than last week," Price said.
LONG AND SHORT OF IT
NRL GROUND DIMENSIONS
Field width: 68 metres (unless otherwise approved)
Length (goal line to goal line): 100 metres
In-goal areas: 8 metres (unless otherwise approved)
INTERNATIONAL DIMENSIONS
Field width: 68 metres (maximum)
Length: 100 metres (maximum)
In-goal areas: 6-11 metres
