Rugby League: Captains touch trophy on eve of final

Australian captain Cameron Smith and Kiwis skipper Simon Mannering with the rugby league World Cup. Photo / Getty Images

Simon Mannering and Cameron Smith held the World Cup trophy briefly today but both are keen on getting their hands on it for a lot longer on Sunday morning (NZT).

The New Zealand and Australia captain gathered at Old Trafford for a photo run ahead the World Cup final but both could have been forgiven for taking their eyes off the trophy as they took in one of the world's iconic sporting venues.

It will be filled to capacity for the on Sunday morning, and the 76,000-strong crowd will be the biggest for international rugby league.

Most will be cheering on the Kiwis, who go in as underdogs. They might be world champions but have beat Australia only twice in the last five years - they were pretty big wins in the 2008 World Cup and 2010 Four Nations finals - and are up against a formidable opposition who have not conceded a try in 322 minutes.

"It felt good [to hold the trophy] but it doesn't really mean anything when you are just getting a photo with the opposing captain," Smith said. "I think Simon has a better idea of what it's like to lift up after a victory."

Both camps will know tomorrow just how good their chances will be once the wounded are assessed.

Wingers Manu Vatuvei and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck trained with the side today, although Tuivasa-Sheck didn't take part in defensive drills. Both will be assessed in the morning and are good chances of playing.

Second-rower Frank Pritchard is still a concern and had a light jog on the side of the training pitch. He's looking doubtful but New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney said they owed it to Pritchard to give him as much time as possible to be ready.

"Frank Pritchard is going to have a run in the morning and we will make a call on him after that," Kearney said.

"He hasn't trained fully yet. It was a pretty significant strain of the hamstring. Frank has been a pretty integral part of the group for a few years now and we want to give him every opportunity we can to get him out there but we will see how he runs tomorrow."

The rest of the New Zealand side is easy to pick, especially after Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (neck) and Frank-Paul Nu'uausala (calf) showed no ill-effects from their recent niggles. Sam Kasiano has fought off the challenge of Sam Moa and Alex Glenn would take a place on the interchange bench again if Pritchard is ruled out.

There are still a number of players sore from their last-ditch 20-18 win over England but the prospect of playing in a World Cup final at Old Trafford should ease the pain.

Australia have fewer injury concerns and it seems almost certain fullback Billy Slater will play after making a rapid recovery from what looked like a serious knee injury sustained against the US in their quarter-final.

"He trained really well today," Australia coach Tim Sheens said. "I'm never confident about these things but what I saw today gives me some hope he will be available. We will give him a good chance but, as a coach, you plan for the worst-case scenario."

Likely New Zealand side to play Australia at Old Trafford, Manchester, on Sunday (3.30am NZT): Kevin Locke, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Dean Whare, Bryson Goodwin, Manu Vatuvei, Kieran Foran, Shaun Johnson, Jared-Waerea-Hargreaves, Issac Luke, Jesse Bromwich, Simon Mannering, Sonny Bill Williams, Elijah Taylor. Interchange: Ben Matulino, Sam Kasiano, Frank-Paul Nu'uausala, Alex Glenn.