Australia and New Zealand will be going at it once more in the final of the Pacific Championships on Saturday, just one week after the Kangaroos’ 18-point week over the Kiwis.
While Australia has history on its side, having won the past three and eight of the previous nine Tests against the Kiwis, coach Mal Meninga knows to be cautious of a fired-up New Zealand side.
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“They’ll be biting at the bit to get revenge,” he said earlier this week.
“There’s no better feeling than revenge sometimes, so they’ll come out really hard and they’ll try to get ascendancy. All those sorts of things, we’ve got to counter that.
“They’ll come prepared. ‘Madge’ is a great coach who will have them well prepared and ready to go. We’ve got to make sure we’re ready for that.”
Australia knocked out New Zealand in the World Cup last year with a 16-14 win in the Semi Final, although starting halfback Nathan Cleary won’t be in the green and gold this time around.
Fortunately, Meninga had the luxury of calling upon the experienced Daly Cherry-Evans to fill the void in the Pacific Championships as the Manly halfback partners Cameron Munster.
If there is one factor working in New Zealand’s favour it is home ground advantage, with Australia last winning a Test across the ditch against the Kiwis in 2012.
In fact, Australia has lost three of its past four Tests in New Zealand, although this is the first time the Kangaroos will play at Waikato’s FMG Stadium.
TEAMS
Australia
1. James Tedesco 2. Dylan Edwards 3. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 4. Kotoni Staggs 5. Valentine Holmes 6. Cameron Munster 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Payne Haas 9. Ben Hunt 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 11. Cameron Murray 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Harry Grant 15. Lindsay Collins 16. Patrick Carrigan 17. Reuben Cotter 18. Nicho Hynes 19. Thomas Flegler 20. Selwyn Cobbo 21. Jake Trbojevic
New Zealand
1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Ronaldo Mulitalo 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Joseph Manu 5. Jamayne Isaako 6. Dylan Brown 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. James Fisher-Harris 9. Kieran Foran 10. Moses Leota 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. Briton Nikora 13. Joseph Tapine 14. Fa’amanu Brown 15. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 16. Griffin Neame 17. Leo Thompson 18. Naufahu Whyte 19. Wiremu Greig 20. Keano Kini
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