Kiwis and Kangaroos in form for Four Nations
Roar Guru
By Alan Nicolea, 9 Oct 2009 Alan Nicolea is a Roar Guru
Australia's Greg Inglis races away for a try during the New Zealand Kiwis v Australian Kangaroos Centenary test at Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand. Sunday Oct. 14 2007. Australia won the game 58-0. AAP Image/Hagen Hopkins/PHOTOSPORT
As expected, both the Kangaroos and the Kiwis have selected strong squads to take part in the inaugural Four Nations championships, which should showcase some free flowing rugby league in the Northern Hemisphere.
The tournament will kick off on the 24th of October where Australia will play New Zealand in an opening match that promises to be a terrific encounter for numerous reasons.
Unlike their below par performances which regularly occur in the annual ANZAC Test match against the Kangaroos, the Kiwis actually present themselves as formidable opponents if their past results in big tournaments is anything to go by.
New Zealand have won two of the past three major finals against Australia, including the 2005 Tri-nations title and last year’s Rugby League World Cup.
Although the Kangaroos will be favourites to land their maiden Four Nations crown, rest assured that a final against the Kiwis will not be a walk in the park.
But if either team are to start thinking of a place in the final, the result of the first game between the Tran-Tasman rivals will be critical to New Zealand’s and Australia’s chances of progressing deep into the tournament.
The main reason being is that England will also present themselves as more than worthy opponents against both the Kangaroos and the Kiwis cause for international silverware.
And let’s not forget new inductees France, who literally have nothing to lose and everything to gain in this championship, which will make them potentially tricky opponents against the remainining three nations who are all expected to do well.
Whilst the Four Nations promises to be a fairly open and even affair between the likes of England, Australia and New Zealand, the present form that is evident in the Kangaroo and Kiwis squads should see both Southern Hemisphere giants contest the final.
Tim Sheen’s Australia line-up is once again filled with superstar players who are all in tremendous touch.
NRL premiers, the Melbourne Storm, have six players in the 24 man squad, including world class backline stars Billy Slater and Greg Inglis.
Dally M player of the year Jarryd Hayne will also line up for the Kangaroos, while the 2009 NRL leading try scorer, Brett Morris, will also make his debut for Australia, replacing the injured Israel Folau.
Upfront, forwards such as Ryan Hoffman, Brett White, Nathan Hindmarsh, David Shillington, Ben Hannant and Anthony Watmough all had stellar season’s this year for their respective clubs, and will be difficult to contain for the Kiwis.
That said, New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney will also mastermind a side that actually looks more potent than last year’s World Cup winning unit.
Although the absence of destructive wingers such as Manu Vatuvei and Taniela Tuiaki to injury is a huge blow for the Kiwis, backline stars such as Krisnan Inu, Sam Perrett and Bryson Goodwin have the present form on the board to keep Australia’s superstar backline under straps.
In Benji Marshall, New Zealand also possess arguably the most gifted ball playing half in the NRL at the moment such was his late season form during the latter half of 2009 for the Wests Tigers.
Whilst the New Zealand backline is solid, the form of their pack of forwards at the moment probably overshadows that of the Kangaroos.
Storm duo Jeff Lima and Adam Blair were simply outstanding during the course of Melbourne’s finals run, with Blair in particular falling just short of winning the Clive Churchill medal in the Grand Final against the Parramatta Eels.
Throw in arguably the leading prop in Rugby League at the moment, Fui Fui Moi Moi, and the NRL’s leading offloading machine Bronson Harrison, and it is easy to understand why New Zealand have the necessary weaponry to once again stand on top of the Rugby League world for the second year running.
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Knives Out said | October 9th 2009 @ 2:23am | Report comment
I’m really looking forward to this tournament, and I’m going to watch the NZ v Australia test at the Stoop in Twickenham. It’s unfortunate that Inglis will be absent and that NZ will be missing a few stars too.
Hopefully England will put up more of a showing this time around. Their form in the WC was disastrous, and at least there won’t be claims that the weather will harm their chances this time around. I think the England pack will more than match their SH opponents with Burgess, Morley, Peacock and Ellis all class performers, but the real problems lie with the backs. Put simply, the skill levels of the English backs are probably considerably inferior to the New Zealanders and Australians. There should be a change of guard coming with a potentially new back line which could prove either exciting or shocking. At least the awful back three combination of Wellens, Calderwood and Gardner will never be seen again.
Alan Nicolea said | October 9th 2009 @ 9:20am | Report comment
Knives out
I am pretty sure Inglis will be playing in the Four Nations buddy. Don’t you mean Israel Folau? I think England will put up a better showing as they are much more competitive playing at home and in windy conditions. Probably the only England back that can cause significant damage when in form is Leon Pryce. No doubt the Poms will have their chances in this tournament to cause Australia and New Zealand some grief but i still expect both Southern Hemisphere giants to progress through. Looking forward to a good, even tournament.
Knives Out said | October 9th 2009 @ 7:57pm | Report comment
I did mean Folau, Alan. I’m going to copy and past a response that I gave to oikee:
‘Eastmond has a lot of potential, oikee, as does Tomkins. They’re both unpredictable which can either be a good thing, or a very bad thing. The question remains how they would cope at this level with experienced players like Keith Senior and Martin Gleeson absent (although Senior has noted that he couldn’t ignore a recall). I will be interested to see where Eastmond plays. He has a real teak toughness and an ability to break the line. I wait with baited breath to see the final squad.’
So, yes I agree that England lack danger man in the backs, but conversely, with so many untested players it is hard to gauge how the team will perform. Unfortunately, for every alleged starlet there is your typical English yeoman, with Shenton and Sykes, for example, lacking the real nous to unlock teams.
Michael B said | October 9th 2009 @ 10:02am | Report comment
One thing I’ve noticed over the past few years is that the Kiwis perform better in tournaments, as opposed to one off games (Anzac tests). Based on this, they should be pretty competitive against the Kangaroos.
Hopefully, something good comes out of having France in there.
AndyRoo said | October 9th 2009 @ 10:06am | Report comment
The Poms always worry the kiwis because of home ground advantage and New Zealand just isn’t the monster that Australia is depth wise.
I am tipping England vs Australia final
Republican said | October 9th 2009 @ 10:17am | Report comment
This is really a two horse race surely. That it is, is an improvement from the days when it was a one horse race with Australia always winning.
Now NZ are true contendrers thanks to Australia’s input into the game across the ‘dutch’ over the years. I can’t see any other teams seriously threatening these two, although England will have some home ground and weather advatage.
If its really wet then NZ and England for the final otherwise it will be the predicatble NZ v Aussie final me thinks. NZ are always hungrier when pitted against Australia, so they’re my tip with the Kangaroos yet again underestimating the Kiwi fire in the belly and failing to find any of the mongrel themselves despite their superior pedigree.
rob said | October 9th 2009 @ 2:16pm | Report comment
Any idea if this tournament will be televised on NINE or FOX?
Paul J said | October 9th 2009 @ 3:57pm | Report comment
Every 4 Nations tournament should be played in England to give Great Britain (and France) a better chance. They’re competitive there but outclassed in Oz or NZ.
Maybe League should look at slightly abridged rules for internationals to let other nations compete more against the two NRL nations.
oikee said | October 9th 2009 @ 4:20pm | Report comment
No way, the minute you feel sorry for the poms is when they sink the boot in, never give them a inch, if we flog them by 70 good. I dont think we will but good if we do. Like i said once before , well last year on the world cup blog, we only use to beat them by 2-4 points when Mal was playing. Never give them a inch, they will take it and sink the boot into us.
Right, now that i have got that out of my system, the Kiwis should win.
Mick from Giralang said | October 9th 2009 @ 4:40pm | Report comment
Totally agree about the Poms…they always carry on like pork chops whenever they beat us at anything, handing out knighthoods etc…the only good Pom is a defeated Pom…
oikee said | October 9th 2009 @ 5:02pm | Report comment
Mick, very good, your a little beauty. And every time the Kanga’;s roll out, i expect them to crush everyone in their path,,, no prisoners, eat them alive. Post mortems welcome after the game.
The minute we go soft, the headlines will cruxify us. We as a nation need to be strong, or we will become the Wallabies.
Mick from Giralang said | October 9th 2009 @ 4:27pm | Report comment
Australia is not as dominant at the international level as casual observers would think. Look at their record since 2000:
In 2001 the Australians arrived in Britain for the first Ashes series since 1994. Great Britain surprised everyone by winning the first test, but lost the next two.
.In November 2003, Great Britain lost an Ashes series 0-3 on home soil. The margin was extremely small in each game, 22-18 in game 1, 23-20 in game 2 and 18-12 in game 3
In 2003 and 2005 New Zealand won the Bill Kelly Memorial Trophy from Australia.
Australia won the first two Rugby League Tri-Nations competitions in 1999 and 2004, before being defeated by New Zealand in the final of the 2005 competitio.
On November 4 2006, Australia lost to Great Britain 23-12.
he match was Australia’s 3rd match of the 2006 Tri-Nations series. The Australian side reclaimed the title of Tri-Nations champions on November 25 with a victory over the New Zealand side in the final by 16-12 tanks to a try in the second period of extra time.
In 2007 Australia played two test matches, both against New Zealand and both emphatic victories. The first 30 – 6 and the second 58 ni
Australia hosted the 2008 Rugby League World Cup and lost the final to New Zealand, who became world champions for the first time.
oikee said | October 9th 2009 @ 4:43pm | Report comment
Thank you Mick, most of the properganda we read about comes from union bloggers, if the kangaroos started losing all the time, Guess who would sink the boot in, yes union bloggers. Any test match or series is a hard slog-fest, dont believe the hype about the Kangaroos, every game is tough. Always has been. Thanks mate.