League: Day off denies Lockyer record

Darren Lockyer. Photo / Getty Images

The Four Nations title will be on the line next Saturday night but it should have also been when Darren Lockyer equalled Ruben Wiki's world record for tests.

It would have been a fitting way for arguably the best rugby league player over the past decade to draw level with Wiki's 55 tests. But the controversial decision to rest him from last night's game at Eden Park denied him the chance to achieve the feat this year. There are no guarantees he ever will.

Just how long Lockyer will remain on the scene is unsure. The 33-year-old recently signalled he has no intention of retiring from representative football, despite many urging him to do so to prolong his NRL career with Brisbane.

He will eventually come under pressure from younger models like Todd Carney, who replaced him last night.

Lockyer should already hold the world record. The Australian Rugby League incredibly refuses to recognise the four Super League tests he played in 1997, which would take his tally to 57.

Both New Zealand and Great Britain recognise these games, because they were full-strength sides, but the ARL have been steadfast in their ruling.

Wiki thinks Lockyer should have the four tests counted, saying in May that Lockyer was being "cheated" out of what he deserved.

Lockyer will return for next weekend's final to play his 54th recognised test, along with fullback Billy Slater, to ensure Australia start as favourites.

If history is anything to go by, the Kiwis stand a decent chance of winning the final, even though they were upstaged last night.

New Zealand have won consecutive matches against Australia only once since they won four in a row in 1952-53, so the players smartly recognised there was no point using up their win quota in last night's dead rubber at Eden Park.

The Kiwis won the final match of 1997 and then won the Anzac test at North Harbour in 1998 but they have to go back another 45 years to the last time they enjoyed consecutive victories over the Aussies.

They came close in 2005, when they won the Tri-Nations. Brian McClennan's side won the competition opener in Sydney 38-28 before losing the return in Auckland 28-26.

They went on to claim the final 24-0, ending Australia's 27-year undefeated international tournament record.

Perhaps surprisingly, New Zealand won only one more game in the 2000s, the 2008 World Cup final. Australia won 16 matches and another was drawn.

Things have changed a little in recent times, however. New Zealand are not yet the equal of Australia but are challenging their supremacy more often.

They do better in tournament situations - they haven't won the one-off Anzac test since 1998 - and have significantly improved their depth as more and more players ply their trade in the NRL.

This was reflected in the fact all but two of last night's starting 13 had played in an NRL or UK Super League grand final. Perhaps surprisingly, Australia had only eight with grand final experience.

The Kiwis have said they don't see themselves as little brother any more, but they will need to win more regularly to shake that tag entirely. A win on Saturday night in Brisbane will help.