League: Aussies query pitch size - but we 'don't care'

A strained brand of sweet and sour broke out between the Australian and New Zealand Rugby Leagues yesterday as the Aussies queried the size of the field for tomorrow night's Tri-Nations rematch.

The Kangaroos are concerned that New Zealand will again pull a stunt like last year, when the in-goal area at North Harbour Stadium was shortened in an attempt to negate the Australian field kicking advantage.

The visitors are convinced the Ericsson Stadium field for the second test has been squeezed and yesterday the ARL sent the NZRL a fax detailing concerns, attaching a copy of the international rules, as well as stating that their rules committee would check the situation.

NZRL boss Selwyn Pearson replied that he knew the international rules and "didn't give a toss" about what the ARL rules committee thought about the issue, while ignoring queries about the field size.

The NRL, which is essentially the ARL, stipulates a field length of 100 metres, a width of 68m and an in-goal between 6m and 11m.

This is what the Aussies want to play on because it allows them to use their kicking game and speed advantage.

The in-goal at Ericsson - as of yesterday - is around 8m. The length of the field is 100m, you can see the old NRL line markings. The width? They'll find out when they get here.

The Rugby League International Federation and the Tri Nations sub-committee rules stipulate that the width must be a maximum of 68m. Ericsson Stadium doesn't appear to be far short of that.

The Ericsson argument, however, will pale into insignificance when the Kiwis and Kangaroos get to England.

At least two of the venues, JJB Stadium at Wigan and Loftus Road, where the Kiwis play Great Britain next weekend, will not have 100m of playing field let alone an 8m in-goal. The Loftus Road field may be only 94m, the pitch shortened between the 20m and 40m lines.