4nations: Australian Kangaroos v New Zealand Kiwis

[DIEHARD]

Kangaroos expect big Kiwi forwards to come out blazing

LONDON: Australian league Test great Allan ''Alfie'' Langer has warned the Kangaroos forwards to expect a bruising encounter as they prepare for New Zealand to bash them up the middle in their Four Nations tournament opener.

But the Kiwis deny they have stacked their side with forwards for tomorrow morning's Test in London, and say they have fielded a well-balanced team capable of matching Australia in the footballing department as well.

Langer, the Kangaroos assistant coach, said last night: ''We have to make sure that our forwards are ready to play because they have got a lot of work to do. Hopefully, they're up for that because it's going to be tough.

''You don't have to be a fool to look at our back line and see how good it is. But if our forwards don't match theirs, our backs can't come into the game ? hopefully they get plenty of room to move.''

He was echoing head coach Tim Sheens, who said there was ''no doubt'' the Kiwis team had been picked with the intention of the game becoming a forwards battle.

''You can pick straight away what they are going to do. If the back line is our strength then the forward pack is theirs.

''They are a big bunch of forwards with skilful footwork and offloads, and I can see what Stephen [Kearney] is going to do - he is going to come hard at us, and that's a challenge for us because most of the talk about this Australian side is the super back line; so they are looking at our forwards as the soft underbelly and attacking us there. It really is a challenge for our forward pack to stand up and be counted.''

But Kiwis assistant coach Tony Iro said: ''I think both sides will play to their strengths, but we've picked a well-balanced side.''

And Iro denied that the Kangaroos back line had a clear edge over the Kiwis backs, saying: ''Certainly, we will have to be very good in those areas, but we also know we have as much firepower as them. I suppose their big advantage is they have played a lot of rep football together, not just for Australia but for Queensland.

''We're under no illusions about the task ahead, but I think Test football, like the NRL, if every one of your players can give it their best shot, you are just as much chance as anyone to beat Australia.''

Despite that assertion, Langer - one of league's best halfbacks - was happy to declare that Kangaroos No.7 Johnathon Thurston was in career-best form.

But the halfback being talked about on match eve was Kiwis skipper Benji Marshall, with Sheens revealing some factions at Wests Tigers wanted Marshall gone from the NRL club this year - then went on to declare him one of the biggest factors in tonight's game.

Sheens is convinced New Zealand will try to dominate the rucks, get quick play-the-balls for hooker Issac Luke to create time for Marshall to play his game.

But, as his club coach, Sheens knows Marshall better than anyone, and like his players, has 'fessed up. Before preparing tip sheets, he asked all his men to dish on their club teammates in the Kiwis side.

It's a confrontation that throws up some intriguing mate versus mate contests: not least the head-to-head left-side second-row battle between Penrith teammates Trent Waterhouse and Frank Pritchard.

Source: http://www.leaguehq.com.au

[DIEHARD]

Lockyer anoints Smith to captain Queensland and Australia

LONDON: On the eve of a tournament in which he is likely to become the most decorated Australian captain, Darren Lockyer has anointed Cameron Smith as the player who should take over his leadership when he retires from representative football.

Lockyer will tomorrow morning (Sydney time) become the most capped Australian player ever, breaking Mal Meninga's feat of 46 games, against New Zealand at The Stoop, and assuming he plays a week later against England, will equal Clive Churchill's record of 27 matches as skipper.

While still undecided about whether to retire as a representative player after the Four Nations tournament, it is widely expected the five-eighth will turn his full attention to Brisbane next year.

That will leave a significant hole in both the Queensland and Australian teams, however Lockyer believes that in terms of his captaincy of both outfits, Smith would fill them well.

''He's the obvious choice,'' Lockyer said. ''He's still pretty young but he's experienced. I think he's got the right temperament. He'd be my pick.''

Smith was humbled when told of Lockyer's assertion.

''That's a wonderful thing for him to say,'' Smith said. ''I've never spoken to him about when he's going to finish, and he's never said that when he did decide to hang his boots up on his rep career at least that he'd like me to take over, but coming from a guy that was my hero when I was growing up, that's nice to know. When I was young, he was a guy I wanted to be like when I was older.''

First Lockyer must fight the Kiwis after a build-up that he admitted was something of a distraction, due to Meninga's record.

''It means a hell of a lot,'' Lockyer said. ''It's something I'll be extremely proud of. But whether I've played the most games for Australia or whether I'm down the list at 20th, I'm still extremely proud to play for Australia. The most important thing for me is what we do as a team.

''I'll talk to my family and I'm sure Mum and Dad will be saying how proud they are … obviously I'll be proud but the feeling Mum and Dad have and the rest of my family, I'll get the most satisfaction out of that.

''They bent over backwards when I was a kid. I lived in the country, and they used to drive me hours and hours to get to footy games. If they hadn't have made the effort, I might not be here today.

''I'm sure when I started playing first grade and started representing, they thought, 'It's all paid off,' but who would have thought I would have gone this far? I never thought that. I dreamt of just playing for Australia.

''I think right now I'm more caught in the present and I'm just doing my job but I think once I do hang the boots up, that's when it'll hit home.''

Lockyer credited Meninga with helping to make him the leader he is today.

''The thing with Mal is, he never captained a Queensland team to win the [State of Origin] shield, so when we won the first one [with Meninga as coach] in '06, we sat down and had a good chat about things, and he made that point to me,'' he said.

''I didn't realise it at the time. But the experiences that he had not only as Australian captain but Queensland captain, there were a lot of things that just sunk in with me.''

On the last occasion Lockyer captained Australia in England, he suffered an injury that kept him out of the 2005 Tri Nations final, won by the Kiwis. Lockyer admitted that loss and the World Cup defeat at the hands of the same team had hurt Australia's fear factor.

''On the back of the World Cup loss and the '05 loss here, I just think Australia really needs to produce in this tournament to get the respect back that we deserve,'' the 32-year-old Bronco said. ''Particularly after last year, the Kiwis don't fear us at all.''

Source: http://www.leaguehq.com.au

[DIEHARD]

Game is on now, Kiwis have scored, Aussies getting hammered in the penalties. Both teams looking good. GO ROOS!

[GCT_89]

Game is on now, Kiwis have scored, Aussies getting hammered in the penalties. Both teams looking good. GO ROOS!

Yea 6 - 0 to nz but roos have been all over them

[GCT_89]

Aussies are over for the first time..... Nz 6 AUS 6

[GCT_89]

Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!......lol

[GCT_89]

Half time. 1 converted try each way AND a fight..... Good stuff!

[GCT_89]

JT steals the ball one on one 10 metres out..... AUS 12 Nzl 6...... 5 mind into 2nd half

[GCT_89]

AUS 14 Nzl 16 7 mins to go

[GCT_89]

Getting close..... Australia level the score with 2 mins to go..... AUS 20 Nzl 20

[DIEHARD]

What an amazing game! Worthy of the 4Nations. Kiwis deserved the win but Australia stole it like Thrusto stole that ball/try.

I can't believe more players don't strip to score like that.

I had a good feeling about Australia, historically we always break hearts by scoring in the last couple minutes.

What about Phil Gould "Without those maroons we'd be dead in the water"

I think England would have been terrified watching this game. Seeing the class of both New Zealand and Australia.

Well done to NZ, many wrote them off as also runs. Their defence was brilliant.

Australia have vast improvement ahead of em.

I really enjoyed watching that titanic game and appreciated not having to get up in the middle of the night, although our next game is on at 12:15am against England.

[DIEHARD]

What about Gallen, the grub. It was funny that we got the penalty though.

Inglis was probably our best. Smith and Thurston up there. Superman Hayne barely sighted, but being a winger he can only really play what is given him.

[DIEHARD]

Absolutely disgraceful amount of penalties awarded.

[~lee~]

How did australia get the penalty from the Gallen incident, even video ref was on his side.
Cracking game though, NZ defense was top notch, and i agree with you Diehard, england will indeed be terrified of both sides after watching this match.

[DIEHARD]

4 NATIONS GAME ANALYSER