nq_gurl
13-11-2005, 02:35 PM
Kangaroos beat France 44-1213 November 2005
Australia got on with life without injured captain Darren Lockyer with a solid rugby league Test win over France on Saturday night.
With Scott Prince and Craig Gower on trial in the halves and Craig Wing at hooker after being called back from holiday in Hawaii, Wayne Bennett's men ran out comfortable 44-12 victors at Perpignan's Stade Aime Giral.
Fullback Anthony Minichiello scored two of the Aussies' four first-half tries on the way to a 22-6 lead before being given a rest by coach Bennett in the second session.
But despite the determined efforts of the re-emerging French, the points continued in the second half as Australia threw the ball around and competed with each other for positions in the team to play Great Britain at Hull's KC Stadium next Saturday.
Bennett still has five-eighth Trent Barrett to come back into his squad from a foot injury - but Wests Tigers Prince did his best to hold his spot with a personal haul of 16 points.
For French coach John Monie it was an encouraging outing as Perpignan-based Le Catalans prepare for their Super League debut next year.
However, the hosts lost centre Teddy Fadaoui to injury on the eve of the match and playmaker Julian Rinaldi missed most of the second half action.
The French play New Zealand next Friday in Toulouse while an Australian victory in Hull would keep Great Britain out of the Tri-Nations final at Elland Road on November 26
Britain thumps New Zealand
12 November 2005
Britain kept their hopes alive in the Tri-Nations tournament with a thumping 38-12 win over New Zealand on Saturday.
Britain, who lost their first two matches of this year's tournament and were beaten 42-26 by the Kiwis a fortnight ago at Loftus Road in London, stormed to a 26-0 half-time lead that New Zealand could never claw back.
"We've got better as the tournament has gone on," said Britain coach Brian Noble.
"We're doing some top stuff and we were terrific tonight.
"We'll have to be very good to get another two points next week against Australia."
The result means that Britain must win against the Kangaroos to qualify for the November 26 final.
A victory of more than nine points will ensure a New Zealand-Britain final, a win of three to nine points will guarantee an Australia-Britain final. A loss will mean an all-Antipodean showdown.
Kiwi coach Brian McClennan said his side, who play France next week in a one-off international Test, were "pretty dejected."
"When you're on the back foot and don't get much possession, it's difficult," he said. "Britain played too well."
At Huddersfield's Galpharm Stadium, prop Stuart Fielden made the most of a flying British start, crashing over in the fifth minute for a try after a deft pass from hooker Kieron Cunningham. Paul Deacon kicked the extras.
With the Kiwi side losing their cool in the tackle, Deacon got a try of his own in the 15th minute, a smart dummy on David Kidwell allowing him to spin past a wrong-footed defence. The scrum-half also kicked the conversion.
Kidwell redeemed himself minutes later with a try-saving tackle after centre Keith Senior found himself in acres of space and the line beckoning.
In a blow for Britain, Deacon was then helped off the pitch with a bloodied face after Nigel Vagana came into a tackle with a reckless swinging arm, to be replaced by Hull's Richard Horne.
Irish winger Brian Carney screeched in for a try on 25 minutes after New Zealand failed to find touch with a penalty from their own line. Senior found Chev Walker who fed Carney to beat Manu Vatuvei down the touchline.
Stand-off Iestyn Harris took over the kicking duties from Deacon, and the former Welsh rugby union international was true with the conversion to give Britain an 18-0 lead.
Carney scored a scintillating second in the 34th minute, slick hands from Senior, Walker and Harris freeing the winger to outsprint centre Clinton Toopi and cut in past Brent Webb. Harris kicked the conversion.
New Zealand, for whom recalled half-back Stacey Jones was largely anonymous, came close to scoring their first try in the 37th minute, but British full-back Paul Wellens did well to hold up over the line
Shontayne Hape was sent to the sin-bin shortly before half-time after holding on to Mick Higham when the forward had latched on to a hack ahead and was prevented from playing the ball. Harris slotted the penalty for a 26-0 half-time lead.
Britain started the second period as they finished the first, Walker scoring his first try for his country after a jinking Leon Pryce break through some dubious Kiwi tackling. Harris booted the two points from close to the touchline.
Winger Jake Webster finally got New Zealand on the board despite the attentions of Wellens. Jones missed the conversion.
The Kiwis began to take the game to Britain, but their oft-reckless offloading in the tackle allowed the home side to counter, and from one such attack, Senior profited from a deft Harris pass to the impressive Walker to crash past Webster for a try in the corner that Harris also converted.
With eight minutes to play, Ali Lauitiitii crashed over from a Toopi offload through a Fielden tackle for an unconverted try.
Webster then scored his second try as the Kiwis piled the pressure on a tiring home defence, but Jones' conversion hit the crossbar, the whistle went and Britain's hopes of making the final in two weeks were still alive
Australia got on with life without injured captain Darren Lockyer with a solid rugby league Test win over France on Saturday night.
With Scott Prince and Craig Gower on trial in the halves and Craig Wing at hooker after being called back from holiday in Hawaii, Wayne Bennett's men ran out comfortable 44-12 victors at Perpignan's Stade Aime Giral.
Fullback Anthony Minichiello scored two of the Aussies' four first-half tries on the way to a 22-6 lead before being given a rest by coach Bennett in the second session.
But despite the determined efforts of the re-emerging French, the points continued in the second half as Australia threw the ball around and competed with each other for positions in the team to play Great Britain at Hull's KC Stadium next Saturday.
Bennett still has five-eighth Trent Barrett to come back into his squad from a foot injury - but Wests Tigers Prince did his best to hold his spot with a personal haul of 16 points.
For French coach John Monie it was an encouraging outing as Perpignan-based Le Catalans prepare for their Super League debut next year.
However, the hosts lost centre Teddy Fadaoui to injury on the eve of the match and playmaker Julian Rinaldi missed most of the second half action.
The French play New Zealand next Friday in Toulouse while an Australian victory in Hull would keep Great Britain out of the Tri-Nations final at Elland Road on November 26
Britain thumps New Zealand
12 November 2005
Britain kept their hopes alive in the Tri-Nations tournament with a thumping 38-12 win over New Zealand on Saturday.
Britain, who lost their first two matches of this year's tournament and were beaten 42-26 by the Kiwis a fortnight ago at Loftus Road in London, stormed to a 26-0 half-time lead that New Zealand could never claw back.
"We've got better as the tournament has gone on," said Britain coach Brian Noble.
"We're doing some top stuff and we were terrific tonight.
"We'll have to be very good to get another two points next week against Australia."
The result means that Britain must win against the Kangaroos to qualify for the November 26 final.
A victory of more than nine points will ensure a New Zealand-Britain final, a win of three to nine points will guarantee an Australia-Britain final. A loss will mean an all-Antipodean showdown.
Kiwi coach Brian McClennan said his side, who play France next week in a one-off international Test, were "pretty dejected."
"When you're on the back foot and don't get much possession, it's difficult," he said. "Britain played too well."
At Huddersfield's Galpharm Stadium, prop Stuart Fielden made the most of a flying British start, crashing over in the fifth minute for a try after a deft pass from hooker Kieron Cunningham. Paul Deacon kicked the extras.
With the Kiwi side losing their cool in the tackle, Deacon got a try of his own in the 15th minute, a smart dummy on David Kidwell allowing him to spin past a wrong-footed defence. The scrum-half also kicked the conversion.
Kidwell redeemed himself minutes later with a try-saving tackle after centre Keith Senior found himself in acres of space and the line beckoning.
In a blow for Britain, Deacon was then helped off the pitch with a bloodied face after Nigel Vagana came into a tackle with a reckless swinging arm, to be replaced by Hull's Richard Horne.
Irish winger Brian Carney screeched in for a try on 25 minutes after New Zealand failed to find touch with a penalty from their own line. Senior found Chev Walker who fed Carney to beat Manu Vatuvei down the touchline.
Stand-off Iestyn Harris took over the kicking duties from Deacon, and the former Welsh rugby union international was true with the conversion to give Britain an 18-0 lead.
Carney scored a scintillating second in the 34th minute, slick hands from Senior, Walker and Harris freeing the winger to outsprint centre Clinton Toopi and cut in past Brent Webb. Harris kicked the conversion.
New Zealand, for whom recalled half-back Stacey Jones was largely anonymous, came close to scoring their first try in the 37th minute, but British full-back Paul Wellens did well to hold up over the line
Shontayne Hape was sent to the sin-bin shortly before half-time after holding on to Mick Higham when the forward had latched on to a hack ahead and was prevented from playing the ball. Harris slotted the penalty for a 26-0 half-time lead.
Britain started the second period as they finished the first, Walker scoring his first try for his country after a jinking Leon Pryce break through some dubious Kiwi tackling. Harris booted the two points from close to the touchline.
Winger Jake Webster finally got New Zealand on the board despite the attentions of Wellens. Jones missed the conversion.
The Kiwis began to take the game to Britain, but their oft-reckless offloading in the tackle allowed the home side to counter, and from one such attack, Senior profited from a deft Harris pass to the impressive Walker to crash past Webster for a try in the corner that Harris also converted.
With eight minutes to play, Ali Lauitiitii crashed over from a Toopi offload through a Fielden tackle for an unconverted try.
Webster then scored his second try as the Kiwis piled the pressure on a tiring home defence, but Jones' conversion hit the crossbar, the whistle went and Britain's hopes of making the final in two weeks were still alive