Rugby League: Kiwis ready for match of lives

By KIP BROOK

LEEDS - It's a matter of hours before the Kiwis' dream of becoming world rugby league champions turns into a nightmare or reality.

New Zealand take on world champions Australia in the World Cup final at Manchester tomorrow after weeks of anticipation.

The tournament has been a fizzer, but the match should be a cracker.

Seven New Zealand players have been named in the World Dream Team and the tournament showdown is at Old Trafford, the famous Manchester United soccer ground dubbed the Theatre of Dreams.

Centre Tonie Carroll, one of those named in the Dream Team, cannot wait for what he sees as the Kiwis' destiny this weekend.

"I'm hoping it's not a dream. We all want to make it a very special day," the Brisbane-bred, Christchurch-born centre said yesterday.

"This is a great Kiwi side and we just need to put our form on the board.

"The whole team stood up in the semis and if we repeat that, we've got a great chance of winning."

Henry Paul, another member of the World Dream Team, said there was a nervous edge in the Kiwi camp on the eve of the match.

"We would like to see our dream come true. We have a lot of things to prove, but we played well in the semis and there's a similar feeling on this game," Paul said.

"We are fronting up against the best team in the world, but we want to go on and win it."

Ruben Wiki, Lesley Vainikolo, skipper Richie Barnett, Craig Smith and Stephen Kearney were other members chosen for the Dream Team by international league experts, who also voted Frank Endacott as the coach.

This New Zealand team have come a long way since being humbled 0-52 by Australia in April. Their tournament form of scoring 309 points for and 40 against does not suggest a false dawn.

English-based Henry Paul and his brother Robbie were political pawns before the forgettable Anzac test, when they were not allowed to arrive in Sydney until just two days before the game. The Kiwis are fully prepared this time, and Robbie Paul is so excited about the final he has decided to have a full, traditional, Ngati Hine moko tattooed on his back after the weekend.

Henry Paul is not copying his brother, but he said many Ngati Hine nieces and nephews were running around Northland with Bradford jerseys (the club he plays for).

The Kiwis are under no illusion over how tough Australia will be, especially after the Kangaroos' scrappy semifinal win over Wales.

The outcome will be decided by the forward battle, where just two Australians - Shane Webcke and Bryan Fletcher - were named in the Dream Team.

Ice-cool Barnett remains unfazed by the hype building up to the final.

Named in the Dream Team as the best fullback in the world, Barnett said he was not worried what people were saying about the Kiwis.

"We'll get more of this as we get closer to the game.

"But we're in relaxed mood, which is good. We know this is the biggest game in our international careers."

He said every player had made substantial sacrifices in the last few years to get to the final.

"I haven't come this far and missed the birth of my daughter last week just to go back empty-handed - that would be quite hard."

Australian captain Brad Fittler knows the Kangaroos will be crucified if they return home without the cup.

The Australians have been world champions for 25 years and were considered certainties to win their ninth tournament until the stumble against Wales proved they might not be invincible.

The Kangaroos recovered from an 8-20 deficit to win the semifinal 46-22 and are still favourites with the bookies, rated a 4-11 chance to win.

So Fittler knows the reaction at home will be savage if the trophy was lost to the Kiwis.

The Kiwis have cruised through the tournament without being headed at any stage and the teams are almost equal on points for and against.

And despite Australian coach Chris Anderson making play of the size of the New Zealanders, the Australian team have a slight weight advantage - a total of 1250kg for the starting 13 to New Zealand's 1225kg.

But while the sides are close, the expectations are not.

The Kiwis are the popular underdogs aiming for their first World Cup title.

A win would be a huge event for both the country and international rugby league, and a close defeat would be a respectable result in the wake of April's flogging.

A win would avenge the 1988 World Cup loss to Australia, the only other time New Zealand have made the final.

But the Australians are expected to win. A loss would be humiliating.

"We were all talking about it and thinking: 'imagine going home having lost and being the first in 25 years [to lose],"' prop Webcke admitted after the Wales game.

Anderson said it would be the toughest match of his international coaching career.

"Yeah, I think so," he said. "They present a fair challenge for us. They've gone through the competition, dominated sides physically, they've played some really good football.

"They're very keen to erase the memory of the Anzac test. I think they'll be fired up to meet us. They've got a quality side, we've got a quality side and I think you'll see a great game of football at a really good stadium."

He said halfback Stacey Jones would be the key to New Zealand's chances.

"He's the player that makes their big players dangerous. He presents a fair threat to us," Anderson said.

Australian goalkicker Mat Rogers is expecting a close game.

"This New Zealand side are probably one of the best ever produced. They are going stride for stride with us and we won't under-estimate them at all," he said.

"Anyone who has seen an Australia-New Zealand test match knows it's no place for the fainthearted.

"If our forwards don't dominate theirs, guys like the Paul brothers and Stacey Jones can really cut you up."

Endacott has rejected talk of a brawl-ridden opening period to try to unsettle the Australians.

He is interested only in bringing home some prized sporting silverware to New Zealand.

But both the Aussie and Kiwi camps were keen to keep out of each other's way until the final.

"We're quite happy to be away from them," Anderson joked. "We don't like them very much." nte

- NZPA

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