After an auspicious start that saw the World Champions and number one ranked team play out a classic match to draw 20 all in the first game, the second round didn’t exactly play to script.
England and France were expected to be poles apart in class after the intensity of the New Zealand and Australia match. Despite the English coming back against the French late in their first match, it was considered a fait accompli that the ANZAC powers would fight it out in the final.
The World Champions travelled to Toulouse in a match where even the flair of the Les Chanticleers was predicted to have little impact against the physicality of the New Zealanders.
As it was against England, the French - the fifth ranked nation in the world – provided ample fight in the first half again showing surprising mettle. They took the game to the Kiwis in the forwards and were only trailing 16-12 early in the second half.
However the World Champions ran riot in the last half hour, scoring a remarkable 46 points in the closing stages of the game (including three tries in the last seven minutes) to give them eleven tries for the match.
The World Champions would win 62-12.
Despite the 50 point winning margin, by and large New Zealand was unhappy with their performance. Stephen Kearney, their coach and assistant of current NRL premiers the Melbourne Storm, stated that maybe the Kiwis poor first half was his fault.
The players leapt to the defence of their boss, saying that their performance let both Kearney and their teammates down. This solidarity between the team, and the support for their brothers, is the main reason the World Champions are making their mark on this tournament.
Iosia Soliola, the Kiwi back row forward en-route to St Helens after this tournament, praised the squad’s team spirit and the concept of doing it for each other.
They will play England this weekend in a game that will decide who moves through to the final.
While Papua New Guinea will play in the 2010 Four Nations due to their Pacific Nations tournament win – replacing the French - key moving forward will be ensuring that France is not forgotten.
The French have shown, despite falling off in the second halves against England and New Zealand; that they have the ability to compete at the highest level. For the sake of international rugby league legitimacy, the Tri Colours need to keep receiving meaningful competition.
In the first half against England, the Kangaroos executed a half of rugby league that any coach would do well to record and show to his charges repeatedly.
It was as good a spell of attacking league that anyone could hope to watch.
On paper, the Australian test side is far beyond any team on the planet. As bold as it might sound, a collective world XV combining all the talents in the world against Australia would in theory struggle.
Surely if a team, or more to the point, backline was to be chosen by the almighty, it would feature most of the Kangaroo’s backs. Surely He would put Billy Slater, Greg Inglis, Darren Lockyer, Johnathan Thurston, Justin Hodges and Jarred Hayne in his XIII.
A five tries to nil opening half would see the Australians run riot, and many believed the score would surpass the 52-4 drubbing England suffered against the Kangaroos in the 2008 World Cup.
But the second half would see an improved England come out and score three tries, revitalising the Wigan crowd. They would also hold Australia scoreless, further enhancing their credibility, and promoting the Kangaroo’s.....shall we say vulnerability.
Since the World Cup final, Australia has now played three games. It is quite possibly that in eight halves of rugby league, the mighty Kangaroos have put together only one exceptional one.
New Zealand will play a strong team against England, although Steve Matai has been ruled out. Kieran Foran will be his replacement, the sixth debutant since the World Champions began their campaign with their Tonga warm up last month.
While the Kiwis have suffered a big injury toll, it has been the hunger and ferocity of their youth that has allowed them to make their impact in this tournament.
England has made three changes, bringing in Chris Bridge, Peter Fox and Kyle Eastmond.
If they pull off the upset, they will eliminate the World Champions from the competition.
In the other match, Australia has made a host of changes, but with their embarrassment of riches, they do not look any weaker.
A case in point is Cooper Cronk, who has been recalled after a two year test absence, despite being one of the linchpins of the all conquering Melbourne Storm.
The Kangaroos should account for France, despite the fact that they have beaten Australia before. While the result may be all but guaranteed, it will be interesting to see whether the French can stay competitive at least for periods, as they did against New Zealand and England.
Round Three matches
7th November 2009, France V Australia @ Stade Charlety, Paris France
7th November 2009, England V New Zealand @ Galpharm Stadium, Huddersfield England
Friday, November 6, 2009
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