The Australian team is in a bit of bother preparing for the game with a stomach virus affecting several players, especially the halves Cooper Cronk and (English import) Daly Cherry-Evans. Former Perpignan-based, Catalans Dragons captain Gregory Bird has described the preparations as "shambolic." www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 1l4av.html

The Australian team is in a bit of bother preparing for the game with a stomach virus affecting several players, especially the halves Cooper Cronk and (English import) Daly Cherry-Evans. Former Perpignan-based, Catalans Dragons captain Gregory Bird has described the preparations as "shambolic." www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 1l4av.html

Get the excuses in early and take plaudits if they win

Dally Cherry-Evans is not English. His mum isn't English either, as was incorrectly published by journalists and other idiots with keyboards.

Spot on.

Also worst team in blah blah years etc etc. C Grade side to play Ashes series years ago etc etc. And people back home believed it. LOL

Surprise, surprise - they're all fit and healthy. Just seen it on the news here in Wellington.

The Aussies would've preferred an Aus/Eng for their chaces of winning but they f**ked up by allowing an English ref (desperate to look neutral) to do the Eng/NZ game. The old Suttpn double act should've been used for that game as well as an Aus/Eng final, to replicate the group game officiating.....and result.

This is a great chance for New Zealand to smash Australia. Only the brilliance of Gregory Inglis can thwart the Kiwi victory plans.

I hope that the Kiwis win this one rather than the Aussies as i believe that they as a side would have lost out to a very ordinary Aussie side this time around and one which will revert to normality once the serious International games come around and when they have all rested up enough



I also can't wait for next years 3 tests v the Kiwis as i reckon it will be a cracking series, I much prefer these three game series matches to the one off Tri series games anyday

Kiwis need to dominate up front again and starve the roos of ball. If you give this Aussie side a sniff, no matter how bad people think they are, they will run you ragged.
Heart says Kiwis, Head say thieving b'stard Aussies.

Nah, get someone to smash that woman hitter.

Agreed.

26k tickets sold, expecting a decent walk up too

A crowd of over 30,000 will be half decent. But 40,000 would be a better promotion of our game in New Zealand. What a pity that 40,000 looks unlikely.

Given the stadium holds 35,000, you'd be hard pressed to get 40,000.

Unless thousands climb on the roof, as happened at the SCG in 1965.

Anyway, 30,000 in a 35,000 stadium won't look too bad.

Australia by how many?

New Zealand cut out silly penalties, they'll win this

Stadium looks about two-thirds full therefore a capacity of around 35,000 would indicate a bona fide attendance of around 24,000. It goes without saying that the officially announced attendance may well differ.

Aussies have started way better than the Kiwis who can consider themselves fortunate to be trailing by only 6 points.

Not sure - Australia are looking like scoring everytime they get it in the NZ half. NZ just don't.

Yes they do!

What a set that was. Australia flying in with the tackles, some huge hits and NZ go and score a great try.

Hope England are watching. New Zealand showing no respect to oz. Unlike is who just accept been taken late 20 seconds after kick

Holy **** what a bomb that was. Possibly the best I've ever seen.

England are a failed entity in this tournament and in international RL.

There is no place for them in this thread.

Greg Bird just got ruined. Deserves that purely for his shocking 'tache.