Rugby League: Cayless the right man for the job

By PETER JESSUP

When he was handed the Kiwi captaincy for tonight's Anzac test, Nathan Cayless called his troops together and delivered a speech to fire them up.

It was then that the coach Daniel Anderson knew he was the right man for the job.

"He's a natural. Straight away I knew he was the man to do it. Leaders like to talk," Anderson said yesterday after original skipper Ruben Wiki was ruled out for a high tackle in the NRL.

Anderson had nothing to say about the dumping of Ali Lauitiiti, other than confirming the second-rower had called him to say he wanted to stay at the Warriors.

"I asked him if he had a problem with me and he said 'No'. I asked him if he had a problem with my coaching and he said 'No'."

Anderson said Lauitiiti was away at the weekend considering other options, adding: "I'll deal with the Warriors next week. Right now the focus is on the Kiwis."

The focus for the national side has to be on holding the ball. The pack has sufficient power to make good ground.

Robbie Paul offers something special around the ruck as he is probably the best hooker in the world.

The backs certainly have muscle, and in Nigel Vagana they have a pacey fullback who can bring line-breakers down in cover.

It comes down to the Kiwis keeping their share of possession and playing out sets of six.

The Australians will enjoy the better kicking game because of the options they have, with Darren Lockyer and Craig Gower both adept at steering teams around.

Thomas Leuluai's attacking kicks are usually ground-grubbers and he doesn't have the length the Kangaroos do, and Sione Faumuina has no real kicking game at all.

It's Faumuina's left side of the field where the Kiwis' attack may concentrate, with Tony Puletua, Clinton Toopi and the huge Lesley Vainikolo on the wing. They outsize their Broncos' and Australian opposites Lockyer, Brent Tate and Michael De Vere by some margin.

Though the Kiwi forwards are massive, the team will fancy their chances in the backs.

Tate has carried a shoulder injury and Australian fullback Anthony Minichiello missed two trainings this week, forcing the team to reveal that he is playing with a hip problem. Thirty-point losers? I don't think so. But my house won't be on a Kiwi win.