Rugby League: Kiwis can expect crowd roasting

HULL - For Castleford read Paris. For a Kiwis victory over France, read a rugby league World Cup semifinal berth.

New Zealand play France in a World Cup quarter-final at Castleford on Monday and it would be unthinkable to suggest a French upset.

But Castleford crowds are notorious for backing the underdogs and the New Zealand players will feel as if they are in Paris as 11,000 Yorkshire fans yell for France.

Playmaker Henry Paul, who is expected to be named in the Kiwi team today, said they would not be satisfied with another dodgy performance like their 58-18 win over Wales.

He said the Kiwis were reserving judgment on their own efforts in the World Cup until they conquer the better teams to come.

If they beat France, New Zealand would play England or Ireland in the semifinal at Bolton next weekend.

"But we are not worried about anyone else other than France at the moment," Paul said after a training session yesteray.

"France will confront us with fresh problems and for me it's important that if I'm selected I direct the team around the field.

"We need to concentrate more on the kicking game from now on rather than attack all the time, which was the focus in the first three games.

"We put 84 points on Cook Islands, 64 points on Lebanon and 58 on Wales, but that means nothing because we're in the knockout zone now."

Communication has been the Kiwis' biggest focus this week after excessive lateral and ill-directed running at times against Wales in Cardiff.

The Kiwis have proved their tryscoring ability by crossing for 38 tries in three matches, while the New Zealand side of 1995 struggled in pool games at that year's World Cup tournament.

Paul said New Zealand's aim at Castleford was to keep France scoreless. "We know that they will niggle and they will probably get a lot of penalties.

"We're looking to score a lot of points and we hope to do it smarter than we did against Wales.

"We need to run straighter, drawing the French defence and putting guys such as Joe Vagana and Craig Smith up the middle.

"Then I'm looking to get our backline firing and get the ball out to our wingers, who have scored a lot of tries."

Henry Paul is likely to play in the halves with his younger brother, Robbie, because halfback Stacey Jones and five-eighths Tasesa Lavea are expected to be rested.

Coach Frank Endacott has said he will select the top Kiwi side for the semifinal and, if they make it, the final.

In other quarter-final matches, Australia meet Samoa and Ireland play England tomorrow. Papua New Guinea clash with Wales on Monday.

- NZPA