Roos vow to ruin party
AUSTRALIAN players are determined to wreck the Kiwis' Centenary Test celebrations with victory in their one-off clash at Westpac Stadium in Wellington today.
The Test - the Kangaroos' only end-of-season game - has been largely overshadowed by events to mark the 100th anniversary of rugby league in New Zealand. They included a lunch at Parliament House and a visit to the cemetery where a number of All Golds pioneers are buried.
While the Australians will head home after the match for an off-season rest, the match is the start of a tour for the Kiwis that includes an historic All Golds-Northern Union match, a series against Great Britain and a Test in France.
But Kangaroos coach Ricky Stuart dismissed any suggestion his side had little to play for and said the inclusion of eight Test debutants in the line-up would ensure an enthusiastic performance in Australia's penultimate hit-out before next year's World Cup.
"We'll be celebrating our centenary next year, but I can understand why it's going to be a big game for them because they are heading into an important tour and it's a good development and education for their players for next year and the World Cup," he said.
"They're blooding a few new blokes, too, which will be a bonus for them next season but there's excitement for us, too. Playing for your country, whether it's one game or a tour, is exciting."
Stuart said the new faces in the Australian side - teenage duo Israel Folau and Jarryd Hayne, halves pair Cooper Cronk and Greg Bird, Manly fullback Brett Stewart, Melbourne back-rowers Dallas Johnson and Ryan Hoffman, and Newcastle utility Kurt Gidley - had lifted their more experienced teammates.
"It has given the camp an extra bounce of energy and enthusiasm and rejuvenated the senior players who have played a lot of representative football," Stuart said.
"They are taking quite a healthy attitude into the game and that's what is going to be needed. It's going to be a tough game. But the focus and the quality of training really symbolises how much they care about the jumper and the game and, going from what their attitude and input has been, they are all excited to be playing for Australia."
The Kangaroos completed preparations with training at Westpac Stadium, called the Cake Tin, yesterday. Renowned for its swirling winds, the ground appears perfect for Inglis to terrorise New Zealand fullback Krisnan Inu with the towering torpedo bomb he unveiled during the finals. The Storm star, surprisingly, said the tactic had not been discussed.
"I haven't been practising at all this week so I'll probably leave the kicking to Cam Smith, Cooper and Birdy [Greg Bird] and stay out wide to do the chasing," said Inglis, who has been chosen in the centres.
"Ricky has just said to me to do what I do at club level, so I'm not going to change my game in any way at all."
Despite the absence of Darren Lockyer and Johnathan Thurston and Kiwi pair Sonny Bill Williams and Benji Marshall, former Kangaroos captain Gorden Tallis predicted a "classic Test match".
"It looks like both sides are going to play up the middle but they've still got that unbelievable brilliance with guys like Inu, Folau and Inglis so there should be some great football played."
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