Rugby League: Hooking role possible for Henry if Robbie comes on

LEEDS - New Zealand five-eighths Henry Paul may switch to hooker to accommodate his younger brother Robbie during the rugby league World Cup semifinal against England at Bolton on Sunday.

Henry Paul will probably start at five-eighths outside halfback Stacey Jones, but could move to hooker if Robbie comes off the bench.

Coach Frank Endacott refused to be drawn into a likely squad make-up and said he would not name his team until possibly just before the game.

"I have named our team early in all four games so far, but I might just hold off until late as possible this week," he said.

The Kiwi squad had a day off yesterday to recover after their overwhelming 54-6 win over France at Castleford.

The feeling in the camp will intensify from today and Robbie Paul is one player who has put pressure on Endacott to select him in the squad of 17 to play England.

Paul, who scored three tries against France, said it would be a dream come true to play in the semifinal.

"I love playing the big games against England and Australia. It's great playing against guys of equal talent, if not better," he said.

"I was fairly happy with my game against France, but you have never done enough to gain selection for the next game.

"It's not a matter of being as good as your last game, it's how you prepare for the next one.

"Everyone has to be on song, singing from the same hymn sheet this week because England will be tougher than people back home might realise.

"Selection for Frank will be tough, but no one player will be selected in any one position. You just don't know who will be in the starting line-up. Look at the number of changes that were made for the French game."

New Zealand have provided one-sided entertainment in this 16-team tournament of half-empty stadiums, scoring 48 tries and 260 points in four games.

The Kiwis, beaten semifinalists in 1995, have yet to be fully tested and a packed house of screaming English fans at Bolton will see just how much they have improved since their humiliating 0-52 Anzac defeat in Sydney.

Endacott is reserving full judgment on his side.

British experts have been saying the Kiwis can go all the way and win the cup for the first time in the final at Old Trafford on November 26.

New Zealand have beaten Lebanon 64-0, Cook Islands 84-10, Wales 58-18 and France 54-6 so far on the road to the final.

Endacott rates these Kiwis the most enthusiastic New Zealand team he has coached in seven years, and his interim findings suggest they are as good as any other team he has coached.

"They're younger than the other sides, they all want to do well and they work for each other," he said.

"There is still a little bit of unknown there and they are responding in every game. I'll be able to tell you in a couple of weeks just how good they are."

England will be a more difficult team to conquer than New Zealand fans realise, and nobody knows that more than Endacott, who has closely studied their English players.

England will be passionate but league purists are hoping for a New Zealand-Australia final.

- NZPA

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