Key occasions
8 minutes: Two units in a row the Kagnaroos make little floor popping out of their very own defensive finish. The latter ending with an enormous miscue from Ben Hunt attempting to kick a 40-20 from dummy-half, succeeding solely in walloping a large boot miles out on the complete. New Zealand have asserted themselves nicely up entrance early on.
6 minutes: The Kiwis have come to play tonight. After a few tackles they undergo fingers to the left and Mulitalo can pin his ears again on the skin till he’s scragged simply inside Australia’s half. The ball stays alive and New Zealand proceed to press as play feeds to the correct however one other frenetic, unplanned play on the final deal with lets Australia off the hook.
4 minutes: Australia get to work in A1 attacking territory. Cleary and Mitchell mix nicely on the left edge, Tedesco nearly wriggles by way of within the center, however the Kiwis defend securely. Cleary drops an ideal excessive kick to the left nook however New Zealand take care of that risk as nicely. Michael Maguire will probably be happy together with his facet’s defence early.
2 minutes: New Zealand settle for Tedesco’s kick and the Kiwis drive to midway earlier than Hughes dummies to kick on the final, dashes an additional 20m however the subsequent kick from Rapana isn’t threatening. Nonetheless, a pleasant indication of Hughes’ intent tonight. Going the opposite means the Kangaroos are safe with their set and have a sniff when Cleary’s bomb is allowed to bounce and trigger a scramble 20m out. The Kiwis don’t settle and from their second drive of the evening Munster strips Hiku and prompts a free carry in harmful territory.
Kick-off
Right here we go, the largest conflict in worldwide rugby league is underway. Who will attain the world cup closing?
New Zealand march upon Australia throughout their pre-match haka. It ends with clubmates Harry Grant and Brandon Smith embracing.
I’m not embarrassed to say if Nelson Asofa-Solomona got here at me like that I’d soil myself and run very quick in direction of the Pennines.
Your referee tonight is Ashley Klein, the Australian who has dealt with the largest matches within the southern hemisphere all season.
The excellent news is it’s cool and dry in West Yorkshire. There’s a little bit of a southerly wind nevertheless it shouldn’t impose itself on proceedings.
The 2 squads are out on the Elland Street turf, Australia in inexperienced and gold, New Zealand in black and white.
As it’s November 11, the 2 coaches have laid wreaths commemorating remembrance day and the bottom observes a minute’s silence earlier than the anthems.
World Cup excursions sound glamorous, however the actuality is weeks on finish in resorts in cities you’d in all probability select to not go to, as Gavin Willacy writes.
Visitors exiting the lifts on the primary flooring of a somewhat good resort in Liverpool metropolis centre final week would have gotten a shock in the event that they turned left in the hunt for the breakfast room somewhat than proper. They might have walked in on NRL celebrity Nathan Brown, clad solely in his underpants, getting a therapeutic massage. Welcome to life in camp at a World Cup: humdrum fare a technique, worldwide fame the following.
Mal Meninga’s halfback conundrum has confirmed a headache all match, however there are worse issues than tossing up between the 2 beginning Origin sevens. John Davidson has extra.
To Cleary or to not Cleary, that’s the query that has been conserving Meninga from getting his eight hours each evening these previous three weeks. It’s a traditional case of younger vs previous, newcomer vs veteran, New South Welshman vs Queenslander, even brunette vs blond, if you happen to like. On the one hand is Cleary, 24, the Penrith Panther who led his staff to 3 NRL grand finals prior to now three years, successful two of them, and to some the very best participant on the planet. And on the opposite is ‘DCE’ – 33, an NRL grand closing winner in 2011 and a Clive Churchill medal winner taking part in in his second World Cup. And who led Queensland to a State of Origin sequence over Cleary’s Blues earlier this yr and has an already established partnership with Cam Munster, it have to be famous.
New Zealand XVII
Michael Maguire has made one change with Briton Nikora coming in for Kenny Bromwich. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves continues to overlook out with a hamstring damage nevertheless it stays a formidable line-up with its core of Melbourne Storm stalwarts.
1. Joseph Manu
2. Ronaldo Mulitalo
4. Peta Hiku
21. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
5. Jordan Rapana
6. Dylan Brown
7. Jahrome Hughes
8. Jesse Bromwich
9. Brandon Smith
10. James Fisher-Harris
11. Isaiah Papali’i
17. Briton Nikora
13. Joseph Tapine
Interchange:
16. Nelson Asofa-Solomona
14. Kieran Foran
15. Moses Leota
20. Isaac Liu
Australia XVII
Mal Meninga has made two modifications to the 17 that took care of Lebanon with Reagan Campbell-Gillard returning to the entrance row after damage and utility Ben Hunt coming back from every week’s relaxation. Hunt’s versatility spells dangerous information for State of Origin teammate Daly Cherry-Evans. The choice dilemma at halfback seems to have been resolved in favour of Nathan Cleary with the NSW No 7 awarded playmaking duties alongside Cameron Munster.
1. James Tedesco
4. Valentine Holmes
10. Jack Wighton
8. Latrell Mitchell
9. Josh Addo-Carr
7. Cameron Munster
14. Nathan Cleary
5. Jake Trbojevic
3. Ben Hunt
6. Reagan Campbell-Gillard
17. Angus Crichton
21. Liam Martin
24. Isaah Yeo
Interchange:
18. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
11. Cameron Murray
13. Patrick Carrigan
20. Harry Grant
Aaron Bower units the scene from West Yorkshire as rugby league’s worldwide heavyweights put together for battle.
It’s arguably essentially the most mouthwatering semi-final in Rugby League World Cup historical past, and the coaches of Australia and New Zealand each imagine they’ve the standard to guide their place in subsequent weekend’s closing with victory at Elland Street on Friday evening.
Preamble
Jonathan Howcroft
Whats up all people and welcome to stay protection of the primary semi-final of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup. Australia vs New Zealand kicks off at Elland Street, Leeds at 7:45pm GMT (6:45am AEDT).
There could also be two extra matches remaining on this yr’s match however that is certainly the world cup’s excessive watermark. Australia, winner of eight of 9 Paul Barrière trophies since 1975, towards New Zealand, the one staff to disclaim them in a title decider throughout this ascendancy.
If Mal Meninga’s omnipotent outfit are to be denied a 3rd straight crown, it appears probably their close to neighbours in black are the one mob that may cease them. The Kangaroos naturally begin as favourites, however it’s the Kiwis who start because the primary ranked facet in worldwide rugby league.
Australia have cruised up to now with out being challenged. Fiji made them work for ten or so minutes early of their opening match, since when it’s been exhibition stuff with data strewn of their slipstream.
That isn’t to say the Kangaroos have hit prime kind. Performances have been blended, with the quarter-final victory over Lebanon arriving to a lot criticism at dwelling. This has focussed predominantly on the cohesion among the many playmakers with Meninga attempting desperately to shoehorn State of Origin halfbacks Nathan Cleary and Daly Cherry-Evans into the identical 17, together with a surfeit of NRL fullbacks.
New Zealand haven’t had such a simple time of it. The Cedars saved them sincere within the group part and Fiji gave them an almighty scare within the quarter-final. However this rivalry often brings out the very best within the Kiwis and they are often trusted to lift their sport. Up to now 5 conferences between the pair the ledger favours Australia solely three to 2.
This ought to be a belter.
I’ll be again shortly with the line-ups. Bear in mind, you possibly can contribute all through the match by sending me an e mail or directing any tweets to @JPHowcroft.