Rugby League : Kiwis primed for a cracker

By Peter Jessup

Guy Fawkes fireworks will not be a patch on the action on the field on Friday as the Kiwis go out determined to prove they can beat Australia more than once in a series.

The best thing about the 26-4 victory over Great Britain on Friday night was their attitude afterwards: no wild celebration, no overblown egos, nothing but a realistic attitude.

They know that despite consecutive victories over Australia and Great Britain, both great wins that have established this side's credibility as equals with the long-conquering Kangaroos, truckloads of Prozac will do nothing for their mood if they have to sit in the dressing-room at 9.15 pm this Friday listening to the Australian celebrations across the hall.

One thing you can be sure of, the Kiwis will not do a Black Caps - winners one week, dismal disappointments the next.

These New Zealanders are playing for each other as much as anything else. The spirit in the squad is better than it has been in years.

The Australians will come absolutely focused on reversing the two-point loss in round one and re-establishing themselves as undisputed world champions.

Their coach, Chris Anderson, has a 0-1 record against New Zealand, and should he go 0-2 down, his one-year appointment to the job could be just that, as the Australians are not known for benevolence to losers and are sure to review their World Cup plan.

They still believe New Zealand are the poor cousins and they will approach this game with an outward self-confidence bordering on arrogance, but for once there will be nagging doubts.

The Kiwis beat Australia in one game in 1997, in a Super League test at Albany, and one in 1998, the Anzac test in Albany, but lost both series 1-2.

They went within four points and were pressing for a try when Henry Paul went off injured in this year's Anzac contest in Sydney.

They want Friday night's game badly. They are confident in their own ability, but not over-confident of a win.

There is nothing surer than increased intensity this Friday night, with the Kiwis in the position after the Lions game of being able to say it was a good win but there is plenty to work on.

They know they will have to close Australia down quicker, and that they will not get away with the 20m prop bursts and dummy-half runs they did against Great Britain.

The plan should be simple - bash them up with huge tackles that rattle their thinking and force turnovers, run big forwards over their backs before getting the ball to speedsters Nigel Vagana and Lesley Vainikolo on the flanks.

All 20 squad members are fit, and coach Frank Endacott yesterday indicated that it would be very hard to change the winning 17.

The Australians gathered in Auckland yesterday after flights from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

There are no changes to their squad.

Friday night's match promises to be another two-point game, an absolute cracker.