League: Mannering looking for fast start

Kiwis captain Simon Mannering is expecting a physical challenge in today's Four Nations test in Whangarei. Photo / Getty Images

Kiwis skipper keen to avoid the stuttering beginning to match against Australians

After a sluggish start to last week's win over Australia, the Kiwis are focused on getting things right from the opening whistle of today's Four Nations test against Samoa in Whangarei.

Captain Simon Mannering was satisfied with how his team bounced back towards the end of the first quarter in Brisbane but says they can't afford to clock off at any stage in their second match.

"For sure, we didn't come out of the blocks well and we definitely expected them to come out firing and we didn't quite match it at the start. On the positive side of that, we didn't get flustered and got back into our own game but one improvement from last week will be to start the game a lot better. There might have been a bit of a feeling-out stage for a period there but there's no excuses going into this week's game.

"The players they have can exploit a team pretty quickly and momentum swings pretty easily if you drop off for a period and sometimes it is hard to get back. Our focus will be on making improvement with our start but we'll have to carry that on throughout the game."

The Kiwis received a boost at yesterday's captain's run at Toll Stadium, with fleet-footed centre Dean Whare cleared to play after sustaining a minor groin strain during Tuesday's training session in Auckland.

"He said he pulled up good actually," Mannering said. "I don't know how bad it was earlier in the week but he'll be fine. This was his first run with us but he's pretty familiar with the team and the plays so it was probably a good freshen up for him."

Almost every discussion about today's game has included mention of the huge physical contest that awaits both teams. But Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney is wary of Samoa's attacking potential and believes they are capable of testing New Zealand in every department.

"They'll provide us with a test across all facets of the game. They'll be physical and they've got some very dynamic players in the outside backs. It will be more than a physical test, it will be a test all-round for us."

Kearney was not concerned that a number of the Samoan players have intimate knowledge of the Kiwis set-up and said they were concentrating only on what they needed to achieve at Toll Stadium.

"Potentially, yeah, but this is a different group to the past and they have a different energy about them. Our focus is purely on our performance. I understand that Frank [Pritchard], Antonio [Winterstein], and David Fa'alogo have been part of the group but for us it's all about making sure we get our game right and that has been our focus all week."

Samoa coach Matt Parish was downplaying his side's chances and was quick to point out that the Kiwis boast a formidable forward pack to counter Samoa's big men and plenty of size throughout the backline.

"I think the Kiwis will win the tournament now but we need to play well this week and build on the momentum we created last weekend. The Kiwis are massive, too, so it's going to be a battle of the big men. They've got some big outside backs, Manu [Vatuvei] is there and Shaun Kenny-Dowall, and Dean Whare has great feet and has been a great player for Penrith and the Kiwis over the last couple of years so the backline battle should be really good, too."