Tri Nations Final - Aus v NZ (comments & stories in here

[Granty]

It probably wouldn't hurt to have a combined media/comment thread for the Final, so

[Granty]

http://www.nrl.com/news.cfm?ID=13281

Wing says he'll be OK for NZ clash

23 November 2005

Coach Wayne Bennett may think he is in doubt but utility trump Craig Wing has dismissed any concerns a chest injury will undermine his bid to be part of Australia's Tri Nations defence against New Zealand at Elland Road on Saturday (Sunday morning AEDT).

"I'm sweet," said Wing when asked what odds he rated himself of being available for the collision with the physical Kiwis.

Bennett was concerned about Wing's chest injury after it contributed to him missing the tackle that led to Great Britain's last try in last Saturday's 26-14 Test at Hull.

"It was bad enough that he missed the tackle that led to Great Britain's last try," said Bennett.

"It's still tender and sore so we'll see how it goes through the week and make a final decision later."

Wests Tigers halfback Scott Prince, who was dropped for last week's Test against Great Britain would get a recall if Wing succumbed to what is one of the most painful injuries a player can have.

Wing, who was called up as a late injury replacement when on holiday in Hawaii, suffered the injury playing in the Test against France in Perpignan.

He copped another whack on it in the win over Great Britain but like teammate Craig Gower (quad) was confident of playing if selected.

"I don't even think I need a pad. I'm just wearing it at training for the week just in case," he said.

"I got a knock on it at the weekend but I wasn't really wearing the right pad.

"It's felt fine the last couple of days and I haven't any problem at all.

"I've deliberately run into a few tackles here and I really don't feel it all.

"There's nothing wrong with me."

Bennett though will want to carry out his own examination and be certain Wing will not be at risk in such a vital game.

He is still to decide on the final make-up of his 17-man squad after naming 19 players, including Prince and Steve Price who missed the last Test.

Brought to you by AAP

[Granty]

http://www.nrl.com/news.cfm?ID=13280

Mander overlooked for final

23 November 2005

Less than a day after being named international referee of the year Tim Mander has been overlooked for Saturday's (Sunday morning AEDT) Tri Nations final between Australia and New Zealand at Elland Road.

Englishman Steve Ganson, who was third in the award Mander carried off at the Golden Boot presentation, has landed the prized appointment.

A panel comprising of Australia's Robert Finch, New Zealand representative Ian McIntosh and Great Britain's director of match officials Stuart Cummings voted in the referee to control the final.

A spokesman for Tri Nations sponsors Gillette said Ganson's appointment was "unanimous" suggesting Finch did not nominate or put up a fight for Mander to get the season-ending game.

Ganson's appointment though will not worry the Kangaroos.

Australian coach Wayne Bennett has no problems with Ganson's style and hasn't found too much wrong with his officiating in the past.

The refereeing in Australia is different to that in the English Super League, especially in the ruck interpretations and holding down in tackles.

Tickets for Saturday's final have moved past 25,000 although unfortunately for Australia a cold snap is on the way with the possibility of sleet and snow by the weekend.

Icy conditions would take away some of the skill of both sides who like to use their speed and athleticism.

Brought to you by AAP


Personally, I think it's not a bad thing that there is a neutral ref for this game.

[Granty]

http://www.nrl.com/news.cfm?ID=13278

Jones to play in Tri Nations final

22 November 2005

New Zealand's talismanic halfback Stacey Jones will play in the Tri Nations rugby league final against Australia in Leeds on Saturday (Sunday morning AEDT).

Jones is currently in Auckland awaiting the birth of his third child, but a New Zealand Rugby League official told NZPA on Tuesday night Jones would play in the final.

Jones was expected to return to the United Kingdom for the final at Elland Road.

Kiwis coach Brian McClennan was rapt Jones had once again accepted the call to play for his country.

"That really shows how important the Kiwis jersey and his teammates are to Stacey," he said.

"I can't say enough good things about him. He really has shown his dedication and commitment."

Jones came out of retirement to play for the Kiwis in the opening two games of the series against Australia before joining his French Super League club Les Catalans.

Since the opening leg of the Tri Nations, Kiwis management have either declined to confirm Jones' availability, or have ruled him out only for Jones to subsequently appear in two tests against Great Britain and last week's test against France.

The game will also mark Kiwis captain Ruben Wiki's 50th Test appearance and McClennan said the final was a great place to celebrate the milestone.

"This is going to be one of the toughest test matches any of these players has faced," he said.

"The game is special for Ruben and it's just great to be able to be alongside him to mark this occasion."

Brought to you by AAP

[Granty]

http://www.nrl.com/news.cfm?ID=13277

Injured Wing included in squad

22 November 2005

Utility specialist Craig Wing is battling a chest injury but has been named in Australia's 19-man squad for Saturday's (Sunday morning AEDT) Tri-Nations final with New Zealand at Elland Road.

Coach Wayne Bennett has named the same 19 players he nominated before the Kangaroos' 26-14 win over Great Britain at Hull last week with Wing posing most concern after stirring up a sternum injury he suffered the previous week in Australia's 44-12 Test win over France in Perpignan.

If Wing is ruled out, Scott Prince will start.

"It (injury) was bad enough for him to miss the tackle that led to Great Britain's last try," said Bennett of Wing's painful injury.

Concern over halfback Craig Gower (quad) has eased in the past 24 hours.

Bennett though remains unsettled on his final 17 players for the Tri-Nations defence.

But is loathe to go into the final with four forwards against the monster Kiwis in case of an injury to one of his backs which happened earlier in the Tri-Nations when he had to use rangy back-rower Trent Waterhouse as a centre.

"I'll watch training and a video and make a decision on our forward pack later in the week," said Bennett, who was named International coach of the year at the Golden Boot awards overnight.

"They're a bigger group of guys, more physical and they've all got an off-load in them and that's the way they'll play us.

"They've got footwork and size and a high skill level."

Bennett is clearly concerned about New Zealand's ability to stand and off-load in tackles and put Australia's defence to the test with their second phase style of play.

"You have to look at who you start with and who is going to do a better job in the containment department particularly in the first 30-40 minutes and have we got the right guys there to do that.

Bennett opted to start Dragons prop Jason Ryles against the Lions' pack last weekend but believes Saturday's opposition have a different style that could require a change to how the Australians start the final.

Price, who plays for the Warriors and knows their game well, is back in the Test picture along with Prince, both of whom missed out in the last start.

Trent Barrett, who played well at five-eighth last weekend, could find himself as Australia's utility player in the final.

"If Wing is out Scott Prince will come in," said Bennett.

"But we need that player who can fill a number of positions and Trent Barrett can do that for us.

"We don't have anyone in the forward pack who can be an outside back for us.

"If something happens, Trent can go in the centres and one of those centres can go to the wing and one of the wingers can play fullback, so we're covered."

The four-forward option which hurt Australia last month against the Kiwis when Timana Tahu was injured is out.

"I don't want to get caught in that situation again," said Bennett.

The squad for the final is: Anthony Minichiello, Matt King, Mark Gasnier, Matt Cooper, Brent Tate, Trent Barrett, Craig Gower, Petero Civoniceva, Danny Buderus, Jason Ryles, Luke O'Donnell, Craig Fitzgibbon, Ben Kennedy, Craig Wing, Scott Prince, Willie Mason, Mark O'Meley, Trent Waterhouse, Steve Price.

Brought to you by AAP

[Granty]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=4&ObjectID=10356586

Rauhihi set to play in tri-nations final

23.11.05 1.00pm
By Steve Deane

In 1994 Kiwis prop Paul Rauhihi was perfectly happy with his career as a radio fitter in the New Zealand Navy.

If the Auckland Warriors hadn't come into being the following year, it's doubtful he would have ever thought to try his luck as a professional rugby league player.

But a conversation with Frank Endacott convinced him he should at least try to make the most of his sporting talents.

Eleven years later, three days out from the biggest match of his career, the 32-year-old Rauhihi is sprawled languidly in a leather chair in a Leeds hotel lobby, his left leg swathed from top to bottom in bandages, masking the double cork he suffered against Great Britain two weeks ago.

"I was pretty happy in the Navy," he says.

"The footy was the only reason I left."

It may have taken him four years to crack the National Rugby League (NRL) after several fruitless seasons in the Warriors' reserve grade, he eventually debuted in 1999 for Melbourne Storm but he has never had cause to regret his decision.

"The opportunity came up to go fulltime with the Warriors and I saw it as a pretty good chance to have a real dig at it.

"I had just started a family then too but my partner was real supportive and I had the belief that if I got stuck right into it then I could make it. I was probably pretty lucky that I did get a chance to go to Australia and once I got there things took off."

This year, "things" have hit the stratosphere; his appearance in Sunday morning's (NZ time) Tri-Nations final -- "the physio thinks I'm going to be all right but it is a day-to-day thing" -- coming hard on the heals of his first NRL grand final.

Things may not have come quickly to Rauhihi, but they have come.

"I was never really one of the most skilful players, I just had to work hard and be persistent," he said.

"I think that has paid off now. I am pretty happy but either way I'd be happy. I'd probably still be in the navy if I didn't take a shot at this.

"It was a good career but I'm pretty happy with how things have worked out. I've played for my country and been lucky enough to captain the side once. I've captained the Cowboys and I had a pretty big role there for three years.

"I challenged myself a bit and I'm happy with how it went. It helped me build a bit of character."

The Kiwis will need to carve a slice of history to upset the Kangaroos on Sunday but Rauhihi insists they aren't daunted by the size of the task.

"We have broken a few records this year. We hadn't beaten Australia for 40-odd years in Sydney and we broke that record. But we don't really look at the records as an indication of how things are going to go. We know we have got the team to break those records.

"We have still got the belief; it is just a matter of getting the right execution. We know what we have to do on the field, it is just a matter of doing it properly."

The team maybe battered and bruised after six games in as many weeks, but Rauhihi insisted the Kiwis could lift themselves for one last challenge.

"It helps that we are in the final, it gives you a boost. Mentally you are more refreshed knowing you have just got one more game to go. It is such a big game that one more week of sacrifice could all be worth it."

Meanwhile, Stacey Jones was expected to fly out of Auckland today to rejoin the team for the final.

He returned home this week to be with his wife Rachelle, who was expecting to give birth to their third child.

Kiwis coach Brian McClennan confirmed Jones had once again accepted the call to play for his country.

"That really shows how important the Kiwis jersey and his teammates are to Stacey," he said.

"I can't say enough good things about him. He really has shown his dedication and commitment."

Jones came out of retirement to play for the Kiwis in the opening two games of the series against Australia before joining his French Super League club Les Catalans.

Since the opening leg of the Tri-Nations, Kiwis management have either declined to confirm Jones' availability, or have ruled him out only for Jones to subsequently appear in two tests against Great Britain and last week's test against France.

- NZPA