Soccer: Extra bite in clash with Aussies

All Whites captain Ryan Nelson (right) and All Black Kevin Mealamu swapped jerseys yesterday. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Fallon's fighting words get sharp response from the Socceroos

The All Whites' rather surreal World Cup preparations in the wilds of Albany took a new twist as downpours blighted one training session and cancelled another.

What a World Cup farewell, as our brave lads head for a skirmish with a vastly experienced Australian squad and beyond to the world's favourite football camp venue, Austria, on the way to South Africa.

Forget altitude - rain did the All Whites in at North Harbour Stadium, and to compensate, coach Ricki Herbert is hoping for an extra morning session in Melbourne to go with the night run at the MCG.

If this was one of those mega-rich teams with more money than trophies, okay England, then no doubt the first spots of rain would have seen a roof appear with all the magic inherent in a James Cameron movie.

Instead, the All Whites made do on a waterlogged surface, as the ball stuttered around like a Mini with the handbrake half on.

Monday night's clash against the Socceroos, who are not likely to be at full strength, has extra bite thanks to striker Rory Fallon's words and the response from Aussie players.

Yet had an inquiring spectator passed North Harbour Stadium in recent days, they would have been hard pressed to spot anything that shouted World Cup at the infamous graveyard for professional soccer in Auckland.

On Thursday night, the rain pelted down as a team that will take on the glamour of world champions Italy next month danced between the cones with barely anyone looking on.

Today, at 1pm, the public will get a chance to bid au revoir to these All Whites, with the Roy of the Rovers figure of Ryan Nelsen at the helm backed by a bunch of professionals from all over the globe and at very different stages of very disparate careers.

The autograph session at Sky City will mark the end of what are probably quite draining official duties - including endless media requests, team photos, official functions, etc - as the squad goes into a travelling huddle where soccer becomes the only focus.

No wonder Nelsen looked positively bored-slash-knackered as the team photo session was delayed by missing neckties, and he has yet to look completely at ease on the training pitch. So much of the focus has been on him, and the outstanding English premier league defender will be happiest of all to go into total soccer mode.

From what could be gleaned during an inter-squad match on the main ground, Herbert will play his preferred lineup from the Bahrain series at the MCG.

That involved a back three of Ben Sigmund, Nelsen and Ivan Vicelich, a midfield of Tony Lochhead, Simon Elliott, Tim Brown and Leo Bertos, and a front line of Shane Smeltz, Rory Fallon and Chris Killen. This would see the attack-minded Bertos again play a wing-back role, while Smeltz operated behind two strikers or on the right at various times against Bahrain. Nothing was confirmed, though.

One to stand out in the rain was Winston Reid, the new recruit from Danish soccer. The Auckland-born defender looked elegantly comfortable alongside the highly promising Tommy Smith for the B-team.

While Sigmund may survive to start against Australia, it must only be a matter of time before Reid takes over. Smith will push hard for Vicelich's spot.

Fallon's warring words, including a claim that a few injuries might occur, drew a response from across the Tasman. Tough Aussie midfielder Vince Grella, Nelsen's Blackburn Rovers' teammate, labelled Fallon unprofessional, saying: "It's a man's game and it should be played in a man's way. But I would never wish any of the New Zealand players to get injured. Maybe he is trying to ruffle the wrong feathers."

Ruffling feathers comes naturally to Fallon, whether they be right or wrong ones, and he didn't exactly wish an injury upon anyone.

Still, he did leave himself open mentioning injuries. The word is taboo when a World Cup is in sight.

The Socceroos don't appear in full battle mode - coach Pim Verbeek named a 30-man squad as he is entitled to do at this stage, and there are 10 players vying for the final three World Cup places.

Harry Kewell (groin injury) won't play, and Tim Cahill - Everton's outstanding goalscoring midfielder - might be rested judging by a Melbourne training session, attended by 1000 fans.