#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/11 England Academy name their team to take on the Aussie Schoolboys

Entry 38, 9th December 2010.

The latest press release from the RFL landed in my in-box before.

England Academy are looking to make history tomorrow with the second test at LSV. Here is the write-up:

England Academy Head Coach Dave Elliott has selected his 17-man squad for the second Test against the Australian Schoolboys.

The Academy side recorded an impressive 38-30 victory over the Schoolboys in the opening Test game and they are determined to seal a 2-0 series win at Leigh Sports Village on Friday December 10. (K.O 7.30pm)

The England Academy Squad to face the Australian Schoolboys:

1. Matthew Russell (Wigan Warriors)
2. Ryan King (Warrington Wolves)
3. Jordan Thompson (Castleford Tigers)
4. Rhys Evans (Warrington Wolves)
5. Reece Lyne (Hull FC)
6. Gareth O'Brien (Warrington Wolves)
7. Sam Powell (Wigan Warriors)
8. George Burgess (Bradford Bulls)
9. Adam Milner (Capt) (Castleford Tigers)
10. Olsi Krasniqi (Harlequins RL)
11. Danny Bridge (Wigan Warriors)
12. Ben Evans (Warrington Wolves)
13. James Laithwaite (Warrington Wolves)
14. Adam O'Brien (Bradford Bulls)
15. Jared Stewart (Leeds Rhinos)
16. Greg Burke (Wigan Warriors)
17. Matthew Sarsfield (Wigan Warriors)

Tickets for the second Test between the England Academy and the Australian Schoolboys are available on the day and cost £3 Adult and £2 Concessions.

Please support this fixture.

Sadly I won't be able to attend this one myself but best of luck to the England boys!

#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/11 - Australian Schoolboys and England Academy name their teams

Entry 33, 4th December 2010

The two teams have been named ahead of the Academy International at Leigh this afternoon.

Follow @DParkyRL on Twitter for score updates if you can't get there. If you can it's £3 entry - a bargain to see the stars of tomorrow.

Here is the named Australian side

1. Henare Wells     QSSRL
2. Jacob Gagan             NSWCHS
3. Tautau Moga             QSSRL
4. Trent Jennings     NSWCHS
5. David Nofoaluma     NSWCCC
6. Jack Wighton     ACT
7. Harry Siejka     NSWCHS
8. Chris Grevsmuhl     QSSRL
9. Chad Redman             NSWCHS
10. Matthew Groat     NSWCCC
11. Lachlan Burr     NSWCHS
12. Vaipuna Tia Kilifi     NSWCCC
13. Paul Carter (C)     NSWCHS
14. Gerard McCallum     NSWCHS
15. Michael Chee-Kam     ACT
16. Anthony Gadd     QSSRL
17. David Klemmer     NSWCHS

So far on tour, the schoolboys have once again proved a class apart for Wales U-18s and the England Community Lions U-18s winning 52-4 and 56-6 respectively.

Here are the list of scorers from the game with Wales:

Harry Siejka - 2T 5G
Chad Redman - 2T
Paul Carter - 2T
Jacob Gagan - 2T
Tautau Moga - 1T
Chris Grevsmuhl - 1T
Anthony Gadd - 1G

And then the scorers from the game against the Community Lions at Featherstone:

David Nofoaluma - 2T 1G
Trent Jennings - 2T
Michael Chee-Kam - 1T
Vaipuna Tia Kilifi - 1T
Tautau Moga - 1T
Iain Riccardi - 1T
Henare Wells - 1T
Chris Grevsmuhl - 1T
Anthony Gadd - 5G
Harry Siejka - 2G

Once again here are the 17 lads looking to topple the Aussies with Rhys Evans, Reece Lyne and Adam Milner all enjoying first team run outs for their clubs in Super League.

1 - Matthew Russell (Wigan Warriors)
2 - Ryan King (Wigan Warriors)
3 - Jordan Thompson (Castleford Tigers)
4 - Rhys Evans (Warrington Wolves)
5 - Reece Lyne (Hull FC)
6 - Gareth O'Brien (Warrington Wolves)
7 - Sam Powell (Wigan Warriors)
8 - George Burgess (Bradford Bulls)
9 - Adam Milner (Castleford Tigers) (capt)
10 - Ben Evans (Warrington Wolves)
11 - Danny Bridge (Wigan Warriors)
12 - Jack Hughes (Wigan Warriors)
13 - James Laithwaite (Warrington Wolves)
14 - Adam O'Brien (Bradford Bulls)
15 - Jared Stewart (Leeds Rhinos)
16 - Greg Burke (Wigan Warriors)
17 - Matthew Sarsfield (Wigan Warriors)

#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/11 England Academy Team has a local flavour

Entry 30, 3rd December 2010

England Academy coach Dave Elliott has named his squad to take on the formidable Australian Schoolboys at Leigh on saturday (2PM) and it is a side packed with players from Wigan and Warrington. Warrington have four members of the squad in: Rhys Evans (centre), Gareth O'Brien (stand-off), Ben Evans (prop) and James Laithwaite (loose forward).

The Warriors in the squad are: Matthew Russell (fullback), Ryan King (wing), Sam Powell (scrum-half), Danny Bridge (second row), Jack Hughes (second row), Greg Burke (substitute), Matthew Sarsfield (substitute)

Super League experience is provided by Reece Lyne (Hull) while the team is skippered by Castleford hooker Adam Milner. Also George Bugess, younger brother of South Sydney forward Sam is selected in an international side for the first time since turning professional with his twin brother at Odsal.

According to an RFL press release, former Centurions Youth Development officer and coach Elliott said, “We know the Australians are big, strong lads who’ll make things tough for us,” said Elliot. “So we’ll be going into this game expecting the same type of physical game we always get from Australia.

“But we’ve got a group of very talented players to chose from ourselves. Several of our squad have already had Super League experience and that combination of talent and experience provides us with a team capable of putting in some really good performances and getting a result.

“There is a confident mood in camp and the conditions could prove tough for the Australians so we’ll have to exploit that on the day.”

The full squad announced for tomorrow's game is:

1 - Matthew Russell (Wigan Warriors)
2 - Ryan King (Wigan Warriors)
3 - Jordan Thompson (Castleford Tigers)
4 - Rhys Evans (Warrington Wolves)
5 - Reece Lyne (Hull FC)
6 - Gareth O'Brien (Warrington Wolves)
7 - Sam Powell (Wigan Warriors)
8 - George Burgess (Bradford Bulls)
9 - Adam Milner (Castleford Tigers) (capt)
10 - Ben Evans (Warrington Wolves)
11 - Danny Bridge (Wigan Warriors)
12 - Jack Hughes (Wigan Warriors)
13 - James Laithwaite (Warrington Wolves)
14 - Adam O'Brien (Bradford Bulls)
15 - Jared Stewart (Leeds Rhinos)
16 - Greg Burke (Wigan Warriors)
17 - Matthew Sarsfield (Wigan Warriors)

#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/11: NZ are Four Nations Champions

Entry 11, 13th November

AUSTRALIA 12 NEW ZEALAND 16



An exhausting game was ended in the most exhilarating fashion when Nathan Fien added the finishing touch to a wonderful move. Australia were clinging to a 12-10 advantage two minutes from the end of the game when Kiwi maestro Benji Marshall went down the right. Marshall then fired out an accurate pass. Shaun Kenny-Dowall sent Jason Nightingale free and his inside pass was played at by the Australian defence. Marshall followed up and slipped a speculator over his shoulder for Fein to take the second bounce and cross for a try by the posts.

Marshall who kicked the resulting conversion to tie up a 16-12 win, held the trophy aloft and said, "It means an awful lot to us. We are trying to close that gap. I'd like to thank the New Zealand supporters. To my boys its a pleasure to stand up here and be your captain, we've done a lot of hard work this week."

New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney said, "We were a lot better than we were last week, it was a matter of giving us an opportunity and we did that tonight, I'm so very proud of the guys. Australia are a champion side but we showed some fairly good qualities tonight too. Last week showed us there is still a gap and for me and the NZ RL it's a matter of closing that gap. We did  some of that tonight, but it's an ongoing project."

The contest was one of attrition from the start and Australia got away to a better opening when Darren Lockyer slid a grubber kick behind the defence after referee Tony Archer and touch judge James Child missed a foot in touch by wing Brett Morris. Lance Hohaia struggled to take the bounce and Brent Tate followed up to touch down. The conversion from Cameron Smith gave Australia a 6-0 lead and the Kangaroos continued to keep the pressure on New Zealand.

Midway through the first half, Australia were unlucky to lose Luke Lewis with injury just as the second row appeared to be hitting form.

Gradually, New Zealand worked their way into the game with their pack eventually winning field position and their defence tough and uncompromising. It took until just before half-time for the visitors to unlock the Australian defence and it was through that man Marshall. His short pass looked forward but Kenny-Dowall raced through for his skipper to level matters at 6-6.

A short brawl on half-time between a number of players from both teams saw the temperatures rise further prompting the referee to speak with both captains. This masked a further problem for Australia who were forced to play on without Tate in the second half. The centre was inconsolable having suffered a suspected knee problem.

Despite playing with their backs to the wall, it was Australia who struck with a fine try before the hour as they bashed away at the Kiwi defence and then switched the ball down the left for Greg Bird to conjure up an offload to send Billy Slater into space and past a stranded Hohaia. Again Cameron Smith goaled from a difficult position and it was 12-6 to Australia, heading into the final quarter.

Hohaia continued to remain involved for New Zealand, bravely returning kicks and chiming in where possible while the sheer toughness of Jeremy Smith was to be admired. The Kiwis visibly upped their efforts and forced Australia into a number of errors, forcing a drop out and then a succession of penalties that eventually told.

Once again the Australian lock-picker was Marshall as he weighed up the options open to him in the blink of an eye. He put a tremendous grubber kick to the in-goal and Nightingale timed his run to perfection to claim the try. Marshall's conversion attempt looked good until the final second when it struck the post and bounced out.

Still clinging to their slender advantage, Australia tried to close out but Marshall and company had other ideas with a wonderful attack which brought the spectacular team try for Fien to win the Four Nations Trophy.

Australia: Slater; Morris, Tate, Tonga, Tuqiri; Lockyer (captain), Cronk; Scott, Smith, Shillington; Lewis, Thaiday, Gallen. : Learoyd-Lahrs, Bird, Gidley, Myles. 

Tries: Tate, Slater
Goals: Smith 2/2

New Zealand: Hohaia; Nightingale, Kenny-Dowall, Mannering, Perrett; Marshall (captain), Fien; McKendry, Leuluai, Blair; Harrison, Matulino, Smith. : Eastwood, Luke, Nuuausala, Manu.

Tries: Kenny-Dowall, Nightingale, Fien
Goals: Marshall 2/3

Attendance: 36,299.

#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/11: Four Nations Final Preview: This time it's for Real!

Entry 10. 12th November 2010

Four weeks of tough Rugby League action comes to a close in Brisbane tomorrow when the Four Nations final will be played at Suncorp Stadium.

It would be fair to say that Australia owe New Zealand after the Kiwis won the 2008 World Cup with a superb performance in the final. I get the feeling that the Australians have been simmering about that for two years and they will be keen to back up last year's 46-16 Elland Road defeat of England and win their second Four Nations crown on the bounce.

There is no doubting that the Aussies will be confident as well, afterall they did win at Eden Park last week to send the majority of the 44,000 crowd home very unhappy.

For Australia there is no Petero Civoniceva with some speculation suggesting that the big man will not get the opportunity to pull on a Green and Gold jumper again however we must remember the likes of Stephen Price and Reuben Wiki who both carried on pulling on the international uniform.

Billy Slater, Willie Tonga, Luke Lewis and Darren Lockyer all return to the Kangaroos line up with Nate Miles on the bench.

Such is the changing culture of the Australian side that only four of the seventeen played in the 2008 World Cup final while in comparison, New Zealand still call on ten of their number from that fateful day.

Another old face to return for Australia is Darren Lockyer and the veteran halfback still holds the key in my view. This will be his 54th test and what is more he reclaims the captain's armband.

The Australian team annouced is:

Billy Slater
Brett Morris
Brent Tate
Willie Tonga
Lote Tuqiri
D. Lockyer (c)
Cooper Cronk
Matthew Scott
Cameron Smith
David Shillington
Luke Lewis
Sam Thaiday
Paul Gallen

While the bench is expected to see Myles, Gidley, Learoyd-Lars and Watmough.

In comparison, the Kiwis still look strong but they will be hoping to get Marshall as involved as possible. I also think Lance Hohaia is a useful player and he always plays well, particularly against England. Gregg Eastwood has put behind him some patchy form for Leeds and has been stepped up the the front row while Thomas Leuluai continues ahead of Isaac Luke at hooker. With no Frank Pritchard due to injury, Kiwi's boss Stephen Kearney has named another big bench.

Here is the NZ squad.

Lance Hohaia
J. Nightingale
S. Kenny-Dowall
Junior Sa'u
Sam Perrett
Benji Marshall (c)
Nathan Fien
Greg Eastwood
Thomas Leuluai
Adam Blair
Bronson Harrison
Simon Mannering
Jeremy Smith
Interchange (from): Issac Luke, Ben Matulino, Frank-Paul Nuuausala, Sam McKendry, Sika Manu, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Lewis Brown

I think we are in for a cracker - let's just hope it's better than last week, and a different result!

#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/11: The Race for the Golden Boot Pt 3.

Entry 9. 11th November

My last couple of entries have been concentrating on the list released at the start of the week concerning potential winners of the 2010 Golden Boot. Here are the last two names on the list:

BILLY SLATER

Slater previously won the Golden Boot award in 2008 and simply oozes class. A silky runner from anywhere on the field and a real predatory streak for tries make him arguably the best player in the world currently.

In truth the 2010 season has not been one of his most prolific, yet having said that he has still claimed ten tries and barring injury he should reach 200 games for Melbourne Storm next year along with fellow Australian international Cameron Smith.

Slater debuted in 2003, three months before his 20th birthday at the formidable Cronulla home Toyota Park and for the next couple of years his stock grew. In 2006 however he struggled with suspension and injury that restricted him to 14 appearances. One of those appearances was the Grand Final and Slater was in good form despite the Brisbane Broncos winning on the big occasion.

The following season he went through a good spell of form, setting up 20 tries over the course of the campaign and also scoring 9 tries in 8 games at one point.

He won Premierships with Melbourne in 2007 and 2009, although those successes have since been stripped from the club due to salary cap breaches.

Such was Slaters form in 2008 on the State of Origin, international and NRL plains that he was named Golden Boot winner and there is every chance he could do it again.

In 179 games for Melbourne Billy Slater has scorched over for 112 tries and at 27 he is just about approaching his prime.

SAM THAIDAY

Raw boned and ultra committed, Thaiday is tough, uncompromising yet also skilfull. He has been with Brisbane Broncos his entire professional career.

The 25 year old had made 127 appearances for Brisbane Broncos by the end of the 2010 season and in fairness this past season has been another one of progression for Thaiday. He debuted for the Broncos as an 18 year old at Suncorp Stadium in 2003 when the Bulldogs were in town. He made his Queensland State of Origin debut in 2006. After being used predominantly as a bench player, then Broncos boss Wayne Bennett switched Taiday to the starting line-up and amongst other changes, this made the Brisbane club the form team of the competition and eventual premiership winners.

His form in the second half of that 2006 season saw Thaiday come to the attention of the international selectors and his performances have grown at that level.

He was the Broncos player of the season in 2008 and has become a mainstay of Queensland State of Origin sides in the last few years. Perhaps an example of how Sam has improved over the last couple of years was demonstrated a couple of times in 2010 when he was first of all named official Man-of-the-Match against New Zealand in the ANZAC test and he was arguably the best forward on show during Australias recent 34-14 defeat of England. Sam would be my outside bet for the award.

However I don't have a say and each of the players would be worthy winners.

#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/11: The Race for the Golden Boot Pt 2.

Entry 8. 10th November

Six players have been nominated for this year's Golden Boot and a seventh wildcard could enter the fray.

Each of the nominations have merits, obvious strengths, and are fine players in their own right.

On Monday I looked at Paul Gallen, James Graham and Shaun Kenny-Dowall. Today I'll look at another and pick my wildcard punt.

BENJI MARSHALL

For several years Benji Marshall has wowed the crowds in the NRL and certainly since working with Tim Sheens the talented halfback has taken his game to a whole new level.

The 25 year old was first graded in the NRL as a precocious teenager in 2003 and made his debut for Wests Tigers in a Round 20 game against Newcastle Knights. After leaving his native New Zealand, he went on to play for the formidable Australian Schoolboys after being offered a rugby scholarship by a school in Queensland.

He looked set to add to his experience in 2004 and helped guide Wests to win the World Sevens event before two dislocated shoulders brought an end to his season.

The following year he was back and better than ever. He played 27 games for Wests during the season and scored 15 tries as the merged club won the Premiership for the first time.

Once again, injury intervened in 2006 and again in 2007. It looked like another frustrating season lay infront of Marshall in 2008. He opened the season as part of a team that defeated St George 24-16 but only played one further game in the first 9 weeks. Thankfully for him and the Tigers, his return saw him again take up an important role and he was at his best when the Bulldogs were vanquished 56-4, scoring a try, laying a couple on and kicking 8 goals for a 20 point haul.

That momentum was carried into the 2008 World Cup and Marshall got better as the tournament went
on, playing a key role in a semi-final defeat of England before impressing against Australia in the final when the Kiwis won in excellent fashion 34-20.
2009 signalled a change for Marshall as he switched from stand-off to scrum half. Initially the changeover was slow but when Benji got up to speed with the position he excelled. This term has seen Marshall return to the blistering form of 2005. In 27 NRL matches he scored 12 tries, kicked 76 goals and 3 drop goals while he has really found his form in the Four Nations, leading from the front against England and conjuring a couple of plays when the Kiwis backs were to the walls last weekend.

He has now appeared 130 times for the Tigers, scoring 53 tries, kicking 207 goals and those three drop goals for 629 points.

My Wildcard pick would be none other than

DARREN LOCKYER

For 333 games Darren Lockyer has lit up the NRL and in 52 tests for Australia, he has done the same thing. Lockyer has been around the top end of the NRL for 15 long years and that looks set to continue. He made his debut for the Brisbane Broncos way back in June 1995 and despite a couple of niggling injuries, he was still going strong with 18 appearances for the Broncos this past season.

Just the sheer length of his honours board suggest he is a living legend down under and such praise is well deserved. Not only is he a true world class stand-off with the guile and knowhow to unlock a defence, for much of his early career he was also a wonderful fullback and a more than useful goal-kicker. He is a State of Origin veteran for Queensland and years after his retirement, Lockyer is sure to be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Wally Lewis and Mal Meninga such has been his influence on that arena. Lockyer has also appeared in Australain World Cup campaigns in 2000 and 2008 and even appeared in four tests for the Super League Australian team during the great rugby war that rocked a nation between 1995 and 1997.

Having broken the Australian records for most international appearances and most international tries, I think he would be a great choice, particularly if he can inspire the Australians to Four Nations glory in his own back yard of Brisbane this weekend.

Long may his reign continue.

#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/11: The Race for the Golden Boot

Entry 7. 8th November


Six players have been nominated for this year's Golden Boot and a seventh wildcard could enter the fray.


Each of the nominations have merits, obvious strengths, and are fine players in their own right. Over the next couple of days I'll give my take on them. Here are the first three.

Paul Gallen

The New South Wales and Cronulla Sharks forward is as tough as teak and has missed more than his fair share of games due to disciplinary issues but now at the age of 29 is approaching his zenith.

He debuted back in 2001 for Cronulla, and so far the Sharks have been his only professional club. After making his mark on the first team, Gallen suffered a bulging disc in his lower back during the 2006 pre-season which resulted in surgery and a super quick recovery time of just nine weeks. That season also saw Gallen debut for the NSW Origin team and he also earned selection to the Prime Minister's X111 squad that played Papua New Guinea and won 28-8 in Port Moresby.

During that close season he signed a four year deal with Cronulla and went on to appear in the 2008 Centenary Test for Australia against New Zealand. He has now played 14 test matches for his country and finally appears to be settling down from the controversial character that seemed to regularly flout the rules.

Gallen has made 180 appearances for the Sharks, scoring 40 tries and during a pheonomenal 2010 season, the workaholic made 795 tackes in 23 games, ran for 4056 metres and took the ball to defences 505 times.

James Graham

Scouser Graham is the only England player in with a shout of winning the Golden Boot and the 25 year old St Helens prop continues to win praise for his no-nonsense approach to the game.

He debuted for St Helens in 2003 and went on to win consecutive Challenge Cups with Saints in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

After winning the RL Man-of-Steel in 2008 and a place in the world thirteen, he continued his form into 2009, again winning selection to the world thirteen. James had another successful year in 2010, save for a loss of cool against Wigan in the Grand Final. He appeared 32 times for Saints and scored a respectable seven tries - not bad for a prop forward!

After leading the 2004 GB Academy side to a series victory against Australia, it was almost inevitable that Graham would take on a leadership role at some point in his career. That came during the recent Four Nations tournament when de to injuries to Jamie Peacock and then Adrian Morley, he was asked to skipper the side.

By the end of the 2010 domestic season Graham was closing in on 200 appearances for St Helens where he has also scored 46 tries.

With his contract up at the end of next season, he could well find himself in demand amongst the NRL clubs and following in the footsteps of England team-mate Sam Burgess.

Shaun Kenny-Dowall

6'5 giant Kenny-Dowall has earned rave reviews this past season, really claiming a spot for both his club, Sydney Roosters and the Kiwi National team.

Shaun first left his New Zealand home for Sydney in 2004 and worked his way through the junior grades at the Roosters before making his debut at the start of the 2007 season against South Sydney.

His first try hat-trick came three months later in a 64-30 rout of the North Queensland Cowboys and he claimed his first four-try haul against the Brisbane Broncos. This was the first time a Sydney Roosters player had done so for 35 years.

He finished the 2010 season with a Grand Final appearance against St George, but the Dragons won 32-8 to take the crown. Nevertheless with over 3500 running metres to his name and some mighty impressive stats which include 21 tries in 28 games, there is no doubting that Kenny-Dowall has emerged from simply a player of immense promise to one of undoubted talent.

His current club tally stands at 85 appearances, 58 tries and 3 goals, and the scary prospect is that Kenny-Dowall is just 22. I wonder how those stats will read at 32?

Kenny-Dowall's representative career began with the 2006 and 2007 Junior Kiwis and he toured with the All Gold's New Zealand 2007 squad and played against a "Northern Union select" at Warrington, he then made his full test bow against France. After missing out on selection to the Kiwi's 2008 World Cup Squad, he played for the Maori as they took on an Indigenous Dreamteam in a curtain-raiser to the World Cup Final.

During the current Four Nations he has become a mainstay in the centres and scored tries against both England and Australia.

Tomorrow I'll give my thoughts on the other nominations for the Golden Boot.

#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/11: Australia Stun Kiwis at Eden Park

Entry 6. 7th November



This was supposed to be the game where New Zealand showed the sporting public that there is a true shift in power in the Southern Hemisphere. What eventuated was a case of clinical ruthlessness from Australia. Even with a few changes to their side, no Darren Lockyer or Billy Slater as a casing point, this still showed New Zealand what they have to apsire towards.

New Zealand made a confident start but a disappointing kick was snapped up by Darius Boyd. It then took the Australians just six minutes to open scoring after Paul Gallen and Cameron Smith kept the ball alive for Cooper Cronk to shoot through the defence. Smith converted and it was 6-0.

Australia kept the pressure on with Todd Carney forcing a drop out but the Green and Golds were unable to add to their score and when David Shillington went high with a tackle at the other end of the field, Benji Marshall planted the ball between the posts to put the Kiwis back within striking distance at 6-2.

As the Kiwis massed their attack, a sound grubber kick from Lance Hohaia forced a drop out but again Australias defence held firm.

A couple of minutes later Carney spun a pass wide for Brett Tate and he was able to smuggle the ball out of a Sam Perrett tackle for Brett Morris to touch down. Again Smith made it six points with the conversion and New Zealand went through the horrors when they booted the ball out on the full from the restart. After moving within striking distance, Tate became try scorer with a lunge from dummy half and hooker Smith again goaled for an 18-2 lead.

It was then that the Kiwis finally got going. Frank Pritchard won a penalty and all of a sudden New Zealand moved with purpose. Marshall's excellent grubber kick was chased by Nathan Fein and forced a drop out while the Kiwi Marshall almost got things moving with Hohaia only for an Australian hand to intervene.

The pressure did eventually tell on Australia when Thomas Leuluai found Pritchard and he went through the heart of the defence for a power-packed try. Marshall converted and the Kiwis could count themselves unlucky a couple of minutes later when Simon Mannering broke the line but instead of finding Jason Nightingale, he popped the ball up into the grateful arms of Dean Young.

A dust-up between Shillington and Isaac Luke livened the game up further before the break but with the clock ticking down, Marshall booted his third goal to send the Kiwis in with just an eight point deficit at half-time.

As in the first half, Australia scored first in the second when a flying Morris threw the ball inside for Boyd and he scored his first international try. It was too far out for Smith and Australia had to be on their guard when quick thinking from Marshall saw him tap a penalty and duck and weave downfield for a forty metre gain. Again this came to nothing while at the other end a knock-on from Hohaia was touched by New Zealand hands meaning a penalty to Australia. With field position and possession, Australia did what they do best.

Robbie Farrah darted out of dummy half and slid a pin point kick to the in-goal area for clubmate Chris Lawrence to chase. The debutant grounded cleanly and Carney goaled to make it 28-10. Another mistake from the Kiwis was punished as they compounded a knock-on by not setting up correctly at the scrum. Australia used numbers well with Tate handing on to Morris and he seared 40 metres down the wing to the try line. Carney added his second goal and at 34-10 the contest was over.

New Zealand continued to plug away and will certainly fancy their chances next week in the final if they can get Benji Marshall a proper platform to work his magic from. A rare mistake from Boyd came after 63 minutes and it was the Kiwis turn to punish as a superb Marshall offload found Nightingale for an unconverted try.

The New Zealand stand-off was incredibly unlucky eight minutes later when he just lost the ball over the line after some great footwork but he did not let this deter him and a majestic pass bamboozled the defence and allowed Shaun Kenny-Dowall to score the final try of the game in the 76th minute. Marshall booted his fourth goal but the Kiwis lost out 34-20 and must regroup ahead of next Saturday's final in Brisbane.

I for one can't wait for that!