Rugby League: Kiwis plan to bring home cup

LONDON - The Kiwis are determined to achieve something the All Blacks have never done - bring home a World Cup, says captain Richie Barnett.

The New Zealand league team arrived yesterday and Barnett confirmed their burning desire to win the World Cup tournament, which kicks off between Australia and England at Twickenham on Sunday.

The Kiwis have only reached one World Cup final, losing 12-25 to Australia at Eden Park in 1988.

Barnett said winning the World Cup would mean a lot to New Zealand and league.

"New Zealand is in a bit of a recession with the All Blacks missing out last year and the netballers being pipped, too, so we're dying to do our best here and bring home a medal."

Coach Frank Endacott said the Kiwis had a lot of work to do before making the final.

"We don't compare ourselves with the All Blacks or anything, but it would be nice to bring home the cup, wouldn't it?"

Endacott said he would hold a team meeting in Gloucester this morning. The team will have a run this afternoon to loosen up after the long flight from Auckland, with tougher training runs tomorrow and Saturday.

New Zealand open their campaign on Monday at the Kingsholm ground in Gloucester, which has a capacity of less than 11,000.

Lebanon, with 14 NRL players, are at shorter odds (200-1) than Fiji, the Cook Islands, South Africa and Russia to win the cup.

Their captain, Darren Maroon, has been cleared to play after successfully challenging a positive drugs test at a hearing in Sydney.

New Zealand are seeded second favourites to meet Australia in the final at Manchester United's Old Trafford soccer ground on November 26. The winning finalists will receive a £300,000 ($1,105,786) cash bonus out of the total prizemoney of £700,000.

The beaten finalists will collect £150,000, with the losing semifinalists each picking up £50,000.

The 16 teams competing are Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, France, Russia, South Africa, New Zealand Maori, Cook Islands and Lebanon.

The New Zealand Maori team also arrived in England yesterday. They brought Manchester Airport to a standstill with an emotional powhiri.

The team, under coach Cameron Bell, took a bus to Carlisle - west of Newcastle - where they are based.

The Maori team, rated at 66-1 long shots, play their first match against Scotland at Glasgow on Sunday. Their other pool games are against Samoa at Workington and Ireland at Dublin. They are likely to meet England in the quarter-finals if they win their group.

The squad includes six players who helped the Kiwis to beat Great Britain 22-12 in Auckland last year.

- NZPA