League: Kiwis ready for backlash

New Zealand captain Ruben Wiki will equal Gary Freeman's test appearances record of 46 games tonight at Ericsson Stadium. Picture / Dean Purcell

Tonight's test promises to be a bruising encounter in which the Kiwis will try to out-power a Kangaroos outfit bent on reversing last week's loss and restoring what the Aussies consider to be the natural order of things.

New Zealand should never beat them.

After all we have one team in the NRL, they have 14; we have about 40 first-grade players to choose from and they have the other 320.

But tonight there is every expectation that New Zealand can win and the Kiwis will carry self-belief and a determination to succeed into the game at Ericsson Stadium.

The Kangaroos for once will carry in a niggling doubt about their own superiority.

But what the Aussies specialise in is turning round bad first-up results and winning the games that count. There is no doubt they will lift the intensity level, their execution will improve and the mistake rate will drop.

New Zealand can also improve and a major reason they are one up on the Aussies is that the coaching staff have this team as well-prepared as any Kiwis outfit has ever been.

While other coaches may seek meetings with the referee ahead of big games, Kiwis coach Brian McClennan asked local referees' boss Ian Macintosh to scout the English test ref, Steve Ganson, for him.

McClennan and assistant Graeme Norton are leaving nothing to chance. They have studied Kiwis test wins and losses and learned how the games break down.

There was shenanigans over the field size at Ericsson - a mental play. McClennan did apparently inquire whether the field size could be squeezed but it was decided not to change the dimensions.

But there was nothing wrong with letting the Aussies stew, believing it had been done.

The Kiwis have worked on their Japanese philosophy of kaizen - gradual improvement. Each player was asked this week where he could do better after game one, and that approach was also put to the team.

The coaches have also analysed where the Aussies went wrong, how they expect them to improve and what the Kiwis will have to do to counter that.

The home side have several pluses going into this game, not least that, with the exception of late call-up Shontayne Hape, they have been at home all week while the Kangaroos flew in on Wednesday night and have had just one training session at the venue.

For once, there is little disruption - no suspensions or late injury withdrawals. For a change, it is the Australians arguing over the makeup of their team. For once, there is talk of their coach getting the bullet, not ours.

For emotional input, there is captain Ruben Wiki equalling New Zealand's all-up test record of 46 games held by Gary Freeman, as well as what is probably Stacey Jones' last test on home soil.

The Kangaroos are starting to look a bit old, particularly in the forward pack, which was where they were outplayed in game one. And if their pack cannot gain good ground, the Kiwis will again be able to contain Darren Lockyer.

The Kiwis are sure to base their attack on up-the-middle busts, off-loads and support play. They do not have the speed to take on Australia out wide.

Rather, they will back themselves to make half-busts on the line, with delivery to supports. Quick play-the-balls and good dummy-half running will be employed to set the Kangaroos' defensive line on the back foot.

The Australians will want to deliver a better kicking game, which again requires space created by the forwards.

They cannot be expected to drop the ball in New Zealand's red zone three times in succession, as happened in test one.

Their playmakers Andrew Johns and Lockyer, should have a better understanding tonight.

The Kiwis have nothing to fear. The Aussies know another defeat will have the critics baying for blood, wholesale changes will be likely, test careers might be over.

They last lost a test series in 1978, they were last beaten twice by New Zealand in 1953. They're not used to looking at the abyss.

The other side to that coin is that their ability and commitment is such that they created those records in the first place. They have a remarkable ability to come back as evidenced in last-gasp tries that have won series in England before.

To league supporters, the Kangaroos have been world-beaters, the benchmark to be aimed for. Tonight we will find out whether the Kiwis have climbed closer to those heights or whether Sydney was a case of them dropping to our level.