Tri-Nations: Australia vs Great Britain - Test 6 teams

[Teegy]

The Kangaroos have named their 18 man squad, who will take on Great Britain at Hull Stadium on Saturday.

Prop Steve Price has been replaced by Dragons prop Jason Ryles.

The 18 man squad is: Anthony Minichiello, Brent Tate, Mark Gasnier, Matt Cooper, Matt King, Trent Barrett, Craig Gower, Jason Ryles, Danny Buderus, Petero Civoniceva, Luke O'Donnell, Craig Fitzgibbon and Ben Kennedy.

Scott Prince, Craig Wing, Willie Mason, Trent Waterhouse and Mark O'Meley have been named on the interchange list, with one of them to be omitted.

The Kangaroos are feeling the pressure in the lead up to Saturday's Tri-Nations Test with forward Ben Kennedy predicting Great Britain will divert from the strategy used against the Kiwis last week and instead line up their big forwards.

But Kennedy says the team will do all it takes to avoid spoiling a 27 year victory streak in the series.

[Steelers]

Surprising to see Price shunted from the starting lineup to out of the team!

[Teegy]

from SMH.com.au


Prop Steve Price has lost his place in Australia's Test side for Saturday night's (Sunday morning AEDT) crucial Tri Nations clash with Great Britain at Hull KC Stadium.

Kangaroos coach Wayne Bennett is still to finalise his 17-man squad.

But Price, who has played in every Tri Nations game and the Test against France, has been omitted to allow Dragons forward Jason Ryles to start in the search for "a better balanced pack".

As expected, Craig Gower will start at halfback inside Trent Barrett, giving Australia added size and options around the rucks.

Bennett has named Scott Prince and Craig Wing on a five-man bench which includes Waterhouse, Mark O'Meley and Willie Mason.

He will decide on match morning whether to go with Wing or Prince as his utility bench player with the former looming as the likely choice.

"We were really keen to balance the bench more," explained Bennett who warmed to the form of Waterhouse after he and Gower combined to score three tries in the 44-12 Test win over France last weekend.

"If we stayed as we were we had three front-rowers on the bench, Mason, O'Meley and Ryles.

"We're expecting the conditions to be a lot different to what they were in Wigan, there's been no rain and the track will be a lot firmer.

"Waterhouse's form was pretty good until he was left out in the last Test (against Great Britain) and he played pretty well against France."

Bennett admitted the Gower-Waterhouse combination was very appealing.

"I've coached against them enough times to know how lethal they can be," he said.

"Waterhouse knows how to get to the try line and Craig knows how to get wide and get him the ball at the right time and also his mobility out wide gives us a better look."

Bennett said Price had not been dropped on form, but for the balance of the team.

"I didn't drop him on form, he hasn't let anyone down," he said.

"But someone had to go and it had to be one of the front-rowers and I just felt his match fitness was a little down.

"It's an Australian team and it's pretty hard to get into.

"Other guys have put their hands up and we need a more balanced pack."

[Teegy]

Price would be one of the first picked in my squad. he is just that good.

[Super Cronk]

I dont think waterhouse has been all that good...he has only had 1 good game IMO.

[Teegy]

Waterhouse doesn't even deserve to be there

[Super Cronk]

Waterhouse doesn't even deserve to be there

thats true.

[DeeGan]

Steve Price dropped from the starting side = :erm:

Steve Price dropped from the squad = :disgust:

Steve Price can feel hard done by with this decision as neither player has set the world on fire this series. Let's look at their comparitive stats for each game of the series which unfortunately does not give us the minutes on the field stat:


vs NZ

Price: 26tk - 9 for 107m
Civoniceva: 31 - 15 for 168m

vs NZ

Price 31tk - 5 for 40m
Civoniceva 31tk - 8 for 53m

vs GB

Price 22tk - 13 for 119
Civoniceva 24tk - 8 for 79

I would take a punt on Price seeing less minutes - either way, we will win, not much losing sleep over it for Price fans.

As for the replacement in Ryles, whilst I have no real problem with it, I would have rewarded O'Meley who has been outstanding from the bench. The reasoning would more than likely be that O'Meley adds more impact from the bench than say Ryles.

I ask this, what happens when a fit Luke Bailey is available?

I would be of the opinion he would beat out Petero Civoniceva with relative ease completing the prop rotation with Ryles and O'Meley...

Now, I am not so sure :erm: And that has nothing to do with the opinion I have on Bailey who I believe is the best prop in the game.

DeeGan

[Queenslander]

Price is a forward that 9 times out of 10 does not need to be replaced by a bench player. A big asset that is not being used :angry: im very disappointed with this decision.

[Super Cronk]

Rookie winger faces Roos/Gb team named-Foxsports.com.au

HULL winger Gareth Raynor will make his Great Britain debut in Sunday's (AEDT) must-win Tri-Nations Test with the Kangaroos.

The 27-year-old will be on the left wing, with Bradford's versatile Leon Pryce set to switch to fullback in place of the injured Paul Wellens, although coach Brian Noble will not reveal his starting line-up until an hour before kick off.

Raynor will be one of three Hull men playing on their home ground, with Richard Horne set to take over at halfback from the injured Paul Deacon and prop Jamie Thackray continuing on the bench.

Winger Brian Carney has been passed fit after coming off with a hamstring injury in last Saturday's 38-12 win over New Zealand, while Lee Gilmour and Kevin Sinfield, both dropped a week ago, have been included in an 18-strong squad.


The Great Britain squad:
L Pryce (Bradford)
B Carney (Wigan)
M Gleeson (Warrington)
K Senior (Leeds)
G Raynor (Hull)
I Harris (Bradford)
R Horne (Hull)
S Fielden (Bradford)
K Cunningham (St Helens)
A Morley (Sydney Roosters)
J Peac0ck (Bradford, capt)
P Johnson (Bradford)
K Sinfield (Leeds)
M Higham (St Helens)

L Gilmour (St Helens)
J Thackray (Hull)
G Ellis (Leeds)
C Walker (Leeds).

[DeeGan]

Pryce to fullback? Is there only one fullback in the Super League competition in Wellens?

Poor selection IMO - Pryce gives me no confidence at fullback if I am a GB fan.

All the better for Australia.

DeeGan