Oh dear god, this match promises to be a cracker!! 
'He'll wish he played for us'
By Steve Mascord
May 2, 2006
NEW Zealand players last night lined up Karmichael Hunt for choosing Australia over the Kiwis, with second rower Frank Pritchard declaring "just wait for the Test - he'll wish he played for us".
The Kiwis were stunned by the Auckland-born fullback's selection as Anthony Minichiello's replacement yesterday.
Just three weeks ago, Hunt again turned down the chance to play for the country of his birth.
The Kiwis made it clear the Brisbane custodian would feel their wrath at Suncorp Stadium, with winger Jake Webster saying: "He's made his bed - now he's got to lie in it."
Asked how his players felt about Hunt, 19, playing against them, New Zealand coach Brian McClennan said: "Karmichael's got to find that out for himself on Friday night."
Penrith's Pritchard told The Daily Telegraph: "I said to (McClennan): I'm Australian born -- I'm more Australian than him. He came over here when he was 14. If he feels like he's Australian, what can I say? He's forgotten his roots.
"Just wait for the Test - he'll wish he played for us."
The Kiwis learned of Hunt's inclusion when McClennan got a text message while on the mini-bus back from training at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast late yesterday morning.
"Most of the guys just started laughing," McClennan said..
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"It's just the way it is, isn't it? He's going to have enormous amounts of pressure on him.
"We would have been looking to put pressure on Minichiello but if the guys get the chance to put a big tackle on Karmichael, of course they're going to do it."
Kiwi-born former Australia forward Brad Thorn was the subject of heavy treatment when he chose the green and gold over New Zealand, but Pritchard said Thorn had more right to call himself Australian than did Hunt.
"Thorn, he's done a lot, he played for the All Blacks as well," the 22 year old said.
"He always said he wanted to play for (Australia). Fair enough, he went and did it. He played State of Origin for Queensland."
Kiwis star Benji Marshall said he tried to talk Hunt into playing for New Zealand.
"I'm a bit disappointed," Marshall said. "I've always expressed that I wanted him to come and play here. He's only been over here for five or six years."
Asked if Hunt could expect extra attention early in the game, McClennan told a media conference: "Not the early moments - the whole game.
"(But) he's allowed his choice. We've got (Cairns-born Brent Webb) playing for us, and he's proud to play for the Kiwis and we're proud to have him."
Webster added: "I didn't expect him to be called into the team. I thought there'd be a few before him.
"If the chance comes for one of us to get stuck into him a little bit, I'm sure we will."
Halfback Thomas Leuluai said: "I was pretty shocked."
The Daily Telegraph
'He'll wish he played for us'
By Steve Mascord
May 2, 2006
NEW Zealand players last night lined up Karmichael Hunt for choosing Australia over the Kiwis, with second rower Frank Pritchard declaring "just wait for the Test - he'll wish he played for us".
The Kiwis were stunned by the Auckland-born fullback's selection as Anthony Minichiello's replacement yesterday.
Just three weeks ago, Hunt again turned down the chance to play for the country of his birth.
The Kiwis made it clear the Brisbane custodian would feel their wrath at Suncorp Stadium, with winger Jake Webster saying: "He's made his bed - now he's got to lie in it."
Asked how his players felt about Hunt, 19, playing against them, New Zealand coach Brian McClennan said: "Karmichael's got to find that out for himself on Friday night."
Penrith's Pritchard told The Daily Telegraph: "I said to (McClennan): I'm Australian born -- I'm more Australian than him. He came over here when he was 14. If he feels like he's Australian, what can I say? He's forgotten his roots.
"Just wait for the Test - he'll wish he played for us."
The Kiwis learned of Hunt's inclusion when McClennan got a text message while on the mini-bus back from training at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast late yesterday morning.
"Most of the guys just started laughing," McClennan said..
Advertisement:
"It's just the way it is, isn't it? He's going to have enormous amounts of pressure on him.
"We would have been looking to put pressure on Minichiello but if the guys get the chance to put a big tackle on Karmichael, of course they're going to do it."
Kiwi-born former Australia forward Brad Thorn was the subject of heavy treatment when he chose the green and gold over New Zealand, but Pritchard said Thorn had more right to call himself Australian than did Hunt.
"Thorn, he's done a lot, he played for the All Blacks as well," the 22 year old said.
"He always said he wanted to play for (Australia). Fair enough, he went and did it. He played State of Origin for Queensland."
Kiwis star Benji Marshall said he tried to talk Hunt into playing for New Zealand.
"I'm a bit disappointed," Marshall said. "I've always expressed that I wanted him to come and play here. He's only been over here for five or six years."
Asked if Hunt could expect extra attention early in the game, McClennan told a media conference: "Not the early moments - the whole game.
"(But) he's allowed his choice. We've got (Cairns-born Brent Webb) playing for us, and he's proud to play for the Kiwis and we're proud to have him."
Webster added: "I didn't expect him to be called into the team. I thought there'd be a few before him.
"If the chance comes for one of us to get stuck into him a little bit, I'm sure we will."
Halfback Thomas Leuluai said: "I was pretty shocked."
The Daily Telegraph
This is what i'm talking about
