DIEHARD
14-05-06, 11:35 AM
New Zealand Rugby League will ditch the "Kiwis" tag when the national team plays Great Britain on June 28 in England - a history-making act that could foreshadow a similar move to to downgrade next year's Anzac test.
The NZRL wants to reserve the name "Kiwis" for their strongest-possible selections. Mostly northern hemisphere-based players will take the field against Great Britain at St Helens, so the league is banning the use of the popular nickname.
Some NZRL figures are also arguing that because Super League fixtures deny them several of their first choice players for the Anzac test, that should also face a reduced status.
Asked if that would be a good move, a cautious Kiwis coach Brian McClennan said: "It should only be the Kiwis when we can select all our players, that's always how it should be."
The June 28 fixture has also been devalued by the news that Super League will not stand down New Zealand players from fixtures on the weekend before the game, meaning two games three days apart for many players.
"That is up to the English - we thought they had cleared it, but apparently they hadn't," NZRL chairman Sel Bennett said.
That means Stacey Jones will play for the Catalans and Jason Cayless for St Helens less than 72 hours before the match kicks off.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Sunday Star-Times also understands midweek debate between British and Kiwi officials led to the NZRL allowing the game to retain test status after it was initially downgraded to a friendly. The British were concerned gates and sponsorship could fold if there was negative publicity.
McClennan still wants the Great Britain game to remain on the schedule next year, but for it to be played on a weekend and with NRL players available for selection. The British say they will schedule a clear weekend in Super League next year.
The coach believes his players need the extra fixture if they are to adapt to the intensity of tests against Australia and improve their win ratio against the Kangaroos.
"New Zealand should be playing Great Britain as often as possible to give us matches of the intensity that State of Origin gives the Australians.
"We should play this game next year on a weekend, so the NRL guys would miss only one match. The Australian players miss a club match to play State of Origin, so why shouldn't our players do that too?"
The Star-Times understands several leading Kiwi players asked their NRL clubs to be released for next month's game, but were turned down.
New Zealand will instead pick a handful of development players in the key positions of fullback, halfback, standoff (Parramatta's Jeremy Smith) and hooker (Bulldog Billy Ngawini).
Parramatta has the bye the weekend before the game and is comfortable with releasing its New Zealand players, which could mean props Nathan Cayless and Fuifui Moimoi also join the team.
"The gap between the lower grades and the NRL has just become too big for these guys to make the step up easily," said McClennan. "If some of them can get experience in this match it could help them step up to NRL squads.
"We need to do it for our own protection - if we have an injury to Brent Webb, what do we do? We have no other fullbacks eligible."
New Zealand will not select older Super League-based players who have no chance of pressing for Tri-Nations selection at the end of the year. "It will be a development match, anyone can see that," said McClennan. "It's an exercise in getting ready for the Tri-Nations, not an exercise on the scoreboard."
McClennan is still working on individual performance analysis from the 12-50 test loss to Australia nine days ago.
McClennan travels to England next Monday on a 10-day trip to promote the St Helens match in Britain.
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz
The NZRL wants to reserve the name "Kiwis" for their strongest-possible selections. Mostly northern hemisphere-based players will take the field against Great Britain at St Helens, so the league is banning the use of the popular nickname.
Some NZRL figures are also arguing that because Super League fixtures deny them several of their first choice players for the Anzac test, that should also face a reduced status.
Asked if that would be a good move, a cautious Kiwis coach Brian McClennan said: "It should only be the Kiwis when we can select all our players, that's always how it should be."
The June 28 fixture has also been devalued by the news that Super League will not stand down New Zealand players from fixtures on the weekend before the game, meaning two games three days apart for many players.
"That is up to the English - we thought they had cleared it, but apparently they hadn't," NZRL chairman Sel Bennett said.
That means Stacey Jones will play for the Catalans and Jason Cayless for St Helens less than 72 hours before the match kicks off.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Sunday Star-Times also understands midweek debate between British and Kiwi officials led to the NZRL allowing the game to retain test status after it was initially downgraded to a friendly. The British were concerned gates and sponsorship could fold if there was negative publicity.
McClennan still wants the Great Britain game to remain on the schedule next year, but for it to be played on a weekend and with NRL players available for selection. The British say they will schedule a clear weekend in Super League next year.
The coach believes his players need the extra fixture if they are to adapt to the intensity of tests against Australia and improve their win ratio against the Kangaroos.
"New Zealand should be playing Great Britain as often as possible to give us matches of the intensity that State of Origin gives the Australians.
"We should play this game next year on a weekend, so the NRL guys would miss only one match. The Australian players miss a club match to play State of Origin, so why shouldn't our players do that too?"
The Star-Times understands several leading Kiwi players asked their NRL clubs to be released for next month's game, but were turned down.
New Zealand will instead pick a handful of development players in the key positions of fullback, halfback, standoff (Parramatta's Jeremy Smith) and hooker (Bulldog Billy Ngawini).
Parramatta has the bye the weekend before the game and is comfortable with releasing its New Zealand players, which could mean props Nathan Cayless and Fuifui Moimoi also join the team.
"The gap between the lower grades and the NRL has just become too big for these guys to make the step up easily," said McClennan. "If some of them can get experience in this match it could help them step up to NRL squads.
"We need to do it for our own protection - if we have an injury to Brent Webb, what do we do? We have no other fullbacks eligible."
New Zealand will not select older Super League-based players who have no chance of pressing for Tri-Nations selection at the end of the year. "It will be a development match, anyone can see that," said McClennan. "It's an exercise in getting ready for the Tri-Nations, not an exercise on the scoreboard."
McClennan is still working on individual performance analysis from the 12-50 test loss to Australia nine days ago.
McClennan travels to England next Monday on a 10-day trip to promote the St Helens match in Britain.
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz