Photos: Transtasman test - 10 to watchKEY POINTS:
SYDNEY - Kangaroos coach Ricky Stuart insists Friday's centenary rugby league test is the trickiest assignment of his international coaching career.
Expected to wipe the floor with a fresh-faced Kiwis side, the core of which suffered the 0-58 humiliation in Wellington seven months ago, Stuart appeared intent on ridding any complacent thoughts from his players' minds.
"I know that we're now back at No 1 in the world in rugby league and playing a football team that is very desperate to save some face and get some credibility back in regards to last year's results," he said yesterday.
"We're expected to take the field and win by how many.
"It's a danger game for us if we are 10 per cent off in regards to preparation and attitude.
"A danger game if we're playing against a football team that can play a little bit of touch football.
"They can come out and have nothing to lose. We have got everything to lose." The biggest contrast is in the respective backlines, with matchwinners Johnathan Thurston, Israel Folau, Greg Inglis and Billy Slater facing off against an unproven Kiwis halves duo of Thomas Leuluai and Ben Roberts, along with debutants Jason Nightingale and Setaimata Sa.
So keen was he to talk up the Kiwis, Stuart didn't bag them for turning up more than 30 minutes late for yesterday's World Cup launch at the Sydney Opera House.
Coach Stephen Kearney, captain Roy Asotasi and non-playing squad members David Kidwell and Lance Hohaia shuffled in just as it was drawing to a close.
An extended training session and crucial warmdown for his players was given as the reason by an apologetic Kearney.
While Stuart sympathised, Kangaroos captain Cameron Smith labelled the Kiwis "rude" for their lateness, saying they were being disrespectful to the international game.
Respect for the test jumper was something Stuart worked hard to restore among the green and golds since taking over in 2006.
He suggested a big margin could be repeated on Friday if the steely focus remained.
"Last year when we won 58-0 I commended the players on how much of their application and their attitude towards that victory was.
"We had a chance at 26-0 at halftime where we could have taken our foot off the pedal ... they had every right and could have backed off a little bit but they didn't.
"They showed that real ruthless attitude that we have to keep on having if we want keep No 1 in the world. The Kiwis finally assembled their full squad last night when Leuluai arrived from England.
He'll have just two training sessions, starting this morning, to fit in after Kearney's assistant Wayne Bennett worked hard on defensive drills yesterday.
Kangaroos five-eighth Greg Bird, in for the injured Darren Lockyer, reckoned the pain of 0-58 was plenty of motivation and felt Bennett gave them some much-needed structure.
"They got touched up pretty badly and I reckon they'll be out to make amends," he said.
"They went away and didn't go too much better overseas. I'm sure they're going to be filthy and it'll be in the back of their minds that it happened last year.
"With the new players and coaching staff they've got, they'll want to prove a point coming into the World Cup."
- NZPA
