Tri-Nations 06: Game Three; Kiwis vs Lions

[Go_The_Doggies]

Oh ffs Ropo we want you to stay there for a long time aswell!!..well atleast till Ben Roberts gets some more experience! .................................................. .................

[Titanium_BD1103]

LOL everyone with Ben Roberts... enough already, there's enough about it on The Kennel... we don't need it here... :lol!:

Well Great Britain have named their side, it's a decent side but the bench is a bit of an unknown, should be a good clash though against the Kiwis.

From: http://www.leagueunlimited.com/article.asp?ID=12412

Great Britain side to face New Zealand
Written by: International news
25/10/2006

Great Britain coach Brian Noble has named his side for the first Tri-Nations hit-out against New Zealand in Christchurch this Saturday.

The Lions will be looking to build on their opening trial performance in Newcastle at the weekend, which they won 40-6, when they face a desperate Kiwi's side yet to register a win in the tournament after a heart-breaking loss to Australia at Telstra Dome.

Great Britain:

Paul Wellens, Brian Carney, Martin Gleeson, Keith Senior, Leon Pryce, Danny McGuire, Sean Long, Stuart Fielden, Terry Newton, Adrian Morley, Jamie Pea**** (c), Gareth Ellis, Sean O'Loughlin,

Interchange: James Roby, Garreth Carvell, Gareth Hock, Lee Gilmour

18th man: Jon Wilkin

[Meh]

More on aussie refs in the Tri Nations

Stuart's referee stance riles McClennan
Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 3:11 PM

Kangaroos coach Ricky Stuart has succeeded in getting under the skin of New Zealand counterpart Brian McClennan by demanding Australian referees control the remainder of the Tri-Nations series.

In what New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) officials described as another example of their Australian counterparts' innate sense of superiority, Stuart wants NRL referees to officiate the remaining four Tests.

Stuart claimed Ashley Klein, the English representative on the Tri-Nations refereeing panel, undermined the Kangaroos' chances of victory in Melbourne last weekend.

Favourites to regain the title lost to the Kiwis in Leeds last November, Australia won Saturday's Test 20-15 after the New Zealanders imploded, conceding two converted tries within eight minutes of the final hooter.

Klein also controlled the tournament opener in Auckland, won 30-18 by the Kangaroos.

Despite sitting in pole position and with a fortnight for his players to recover from tough back-to-back trans-Tasman battles, Stuart was still unhappy as the focus switched to Great Britain's tournament opener at Jade Stadium.

Stuart stopped short of accusing Klein of bias but said Australian referees should officiate for the rest of the series.

"I've been very disappointed with what we're copping over the last two games," Stuart said.

"I thought that there were a number of interpretations that were leaning towards the Kiwis, more so than us getting a fair rub of the green.

"It's obviously very difficult for Klein because he's coming out of one style of refereeing in England over to refereeing two teams that were uncomfortable with different interpretations."

His solution is to have Australian referee Paul Simpkins control the November 25 final in Sydney, a match the Kangaroos are also certain to feature in after making a winning start to their campaign.

The Kiwis, who were also unhappy Klein did not refer Mark Gasnier's match-winning try at the Telstra Dome to the video referee for possible obstruction, don't mind him continuing.

"We have to put the game first, we have to keep developing people and this is an opportunity to develop an English referee, McClennan said.

"The game needs international football to be thriving. This sort of stuff is very insular, it's about getting what's right for Australia, Ricky doesn't give a hoot about Great Britain or New Zealand.

"He's trying to put pressure on and win whichever way he can."

McClennan argued Glen Black, New Zealand's referee on the panel, should control the Kangaroos and Great Britain Test on November 4.

However that won't happen as the Australian Rugby League (ARL) refuse to play under him because he has not refereed at NRL or Super League level.

Instead, Simpkins is destined for that assignment.

NZRL chairman Selwyn Bennett described the treatment of Black and New Zealand touch judge Craig Pascoe as despicable.

"They should be refereeing, not standing on the sideline with a flag," he said.

"They (Australia and Great Britain) are saying only NRL or Super League referees are applicable.

"It's an insult. Our referees are just as good."

The Kiwis scratched a training run in favour of a gym session, while Great Britain packed up for an early flight to Christchurch on Thursday.
NRL.com

[Queenslander]

Noble Believes Lions can Challenge
Friday, October 27, 2006 - 11:59 AM

As Great Britain prepare for what will be a physical encounter with the Kiwis in Christchurch on Saturday night, their coach Brian Noble spoke out about the need for the his team to crank up the physicality and get out of the blocks well in this series.

Despite not having an ideal draw, (the Lions play four straight games) the coach is talking up his sides chances and recognizes the importance of this weekend?s game against the Kiwis.

?We?re excited but we need to hit the ground running from out first game. It is a must win game for us and them. Obviously they will want to get two points on the board, and we would like to start well and get a couple of points on the board?.

The emphasis on starting well could not be stronger for this Great Britain team after a poor start cost them a chance at Tri-Nations glory in last years tournament. To counter that they even played a warm up game against a local Newcastle representative side and defeated them easily.

While the Great Britain team has been acclimatising at Narabeen, and enjoying the sun and surf the Kiwis and Kangaroos have been playing out a very physical early part of the series, something that the coach believes holds no fears for his team.

?We have to stand up and be ready for the physical tussle that is New Zealand and Australia, But at the same time we will be looking pretty big walking out of the sheds ourselves?.

?We certainly will not be intimidated by size or physical prowess, we have got to go out there and use our bodies and we have some size ourselves, but we need to be smart too. To get involved in a purely physical battle would mean it could go either way?.

The Brits certainly do possess some size and some players who have no fears about using their bodies as weapons, with the likes of Adrian Morley, Jamie Pea****, Gareth Hock and Staurt Fielden all capable of pulling off some big hits.

Many Australian fans of the game would be unaware of some of the talent that this Great Britain team does possess, as well as being unaware of the style they will play, and as a result of this they may have come here somewhat underrated but the coach knows exactly where his team?s strengths lie.

?You know it certainly is nice to be underrated, but I just hope that we play to our potential. I see the team having a strong forward outfit, with some decent halves and backs. I hope that two or three really stand up to play, and I think that Newton is pretty influential to what we do?.

While Newton may be very influential to what the Lions do, it is another smaller player in Danny McGuire who has tongues wagging about his exciting style of play, and when confronted about the star pivot Noble was happy but coy in his response.

?Yeah he?s not bad Danny McGuire is he?.

McGuire could be the man to tear the opposition apart for Great Britain in a series where winning early is all important.

Source: NRL

[qld power]

weather in chch today high 20s so jade should be fast hard and good track :lol!:

[Poida]

i reckon lions have got what it takes to win.
lol sorry go the doggies but cause it says ireland in great brittains name i gotta go for em

[Grimmace]

Poms to snub haka
By Steve Mascord in Christchurch

October 28, 2006 GREAT Britain players have been instructed not to face up to the haka before kick-off tonight as controversy prepares to engulf the Tri-Nations once more.

Just two weeks after Australia prop Willie Mason caused a storm by swearing during the traditional pre-match ritual, Lions coach Brian Noble has told The Saturday Daily Telegraph his men will fan out across Jade Stadium this evening as they would if no haka was taking place.

"We will get ready to play. The players will take their normal kick-off positions," Noble said when asked what his men would do during the Maori challenge.

The refusal of the Brits to face off against their opponents at Jade Stadium is certain to have the Kiwis' blood boiling, with Bulldog Mason slammed for his actions even though he and his teammates had linked arms and faced their opposition to acknowledge the haka.

If Great Britain is receiving from the kick-off, some players will be 50 metres away from Ruben Wiki and his men when they launch into the ritual. Conversely, if Britain is kicking off there could be an uncomfortable confrontation about who has the right to stand on the halfway line.

While the build-up to game three of the tournament has not had the same colour as that for the first two matches, there were strong indications last night that feelings run deep between the Kiwi and Lions camps.

NZ coach Brian McClennan derided Noble's plan to ring referees coach Robert Finch about referee Paul Simpkins and reckoned all the pressure was on the tourist given its government lottery funding, huge travelling press corps and high expectations.

"Too right there is," McClennan said as his side prepared to train at the match venue.

"They've been preparing for this tournament all year. They've had their players in camps every month. There's a lot of pressure on them.

"I know everyone's saying there's pressure on us because we're the holders but we don't have anywhere near the resources of both countries (Britain and Australia). We're always underdogs going into games so the pressure is on them."

Speaking after a training session at Rugby League Park, Noble dismissed the claims, saying: "If you think of yourself under pressure, you're under pressure. Performance is just that: you can only control what is in the now."

Noble called Finch yesterday but McClennan stormed: "I don't get all this. Surely you watch the ref. If they haven't researched what Simpkins does ... I mean, he's on TV every weekend. For God's sake!"

Britain has yet to finalise its bench with Lee Gilmour the only one of five reserves to have played Test football before. Gareth Carvell or Jon Wilkin is expected to drop out.

The Kiwis will omit 18th man Adam Blair. "Being only 20, we just thought he needed a little bit of a freshener and Jason Cayless comes in who's an experienced prop ... who's going to be the props in Wellington, I don't know," said McClennan.

"The way (Blair) has been playing and the way he's been training, he's put some heat on the other boys."

After pre-selling just 9000 tickets, officials are hoping for a healthy walk-up. It's the first Test in Christchurch for 10 years. Ruben Wiki and Adrian Morley played in the Kiwis' 32-12 win at Lancaster Park in 1996 while David Kidwell took part in the curtain-raiser.

Source: Daily Telegraph

[qld power]

tickets pre sold up to `13 000 as if 3 pm yesterday morning mild and clear so far today

[~Wild Child~]

Go Kiwis :win:

[Go_The_Doggies]

They can do whatever the frigg they like during the haka, but if they start swearing at it, or swearing at a player or players whilst doing the haka, I won't be a happy chappy!!

[Poida]

They can do whatever the frigg they like during the haka, but if they start swearing at it, or swearing at a player or players whilst doing the haka, I won't be a happy chappy!!

yeh i dont blame ya.

[Grimmace]

LOL first tackle adrian morley makes he gets put on report for a swinging arm what surprise.

[jenny]

LOL first tackle adrian morley makes he gets put on report for a swinging arm what surprise.

Dirty Player....dont like him!

[qld power]

after scoring first points `15mins into game with sean long penalty
kiwis 6 -2 half time with a long range brent webb try

[qld power]

kiwi try motu tony goal jones
12-2
55mins gone