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On form the Kangaroos should be unbackable favourites to beat the Kiwis at Anfield this weekend. Here are six reasons you should throw that form book out the window and prepare for a Kiwis victory.
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1. Their backs are against the wall
The Kiwis just drew (and deserved to lose) to a Scotland team comprised largely of semi-professionals – a performance rightfully decried as one of the worst in team history. Shaun Johnson is obviously feeling the pressure of being the team’s primary playmaker and sidekick Thomas Leuluai’s injury means the Kiwis will be starting a second rower at standoff. Rookie coach David Kidwell seems flat out managing the most basic elements of the coaching gig and at this point looks like he would be more suited to coaching park football.
The Kiwis have lost their last three matches against the Kangaroos by a combined score of 56-10 and now face a Kangaroos team who appeared to be hitting their straps against England. But despite their rather murky overall record the Kiwis have a history of performing at their best when the odds against them seem the greatest.
2. This is just what the Kiwis do
In three of their four title-winning campaigns the Kiwis have lost to the Kangaroos in pool play (2005 Tri Nations, 2008 World Cup, 2010 Four Nations). At this point it seems like less of a trend and more of a strategy. It’s as though the Kiwis know they can cruise through the pool section of the tournament and as long as they have a good dig in the final, no one will remember their shoddy performances in the games leading up to it. If the Kiwis manage to knock off the Kangaroos at Anfield that draw against Scotland will be relegated to little more than a frustrating answer to a pub quiz question.
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3. International league needs the Kiwis to win
A year out from the World Cup a victory for the Kiwis over a star-studded Kangaroos side would be just the thing to build some buzz for international league’s showpiece tournament. A listless performance by the boys in black could herald a return to the bad old days when a major international tournament was just another slow coronation for the Aussies. It’s going to be a tough gig selling tickets to Ireland versus Italy in Cairns if it feels like they might as well hand Australia the trophy at the opening ceremony.
4. The game is being played at Anfield
An iconic sporting ground laden with decades of amazing history. Funnily enough almost none of that history involves rugby league. The decision to play the bulk of this year’s Four Nations away from the hotbed of rugby league fandom just adds to the oddness surrounding the match and almost guarantees a ridiculous result.
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5. Shaun Johnson just launched a clothing line
It doesn’t matter how good you look, if you can’t win something (really, anything at this point) then it’s tough work selling fans on your personal brand. The fact that Johnson just launched a clothing line targeted at league fans that only goes up to 2XL throws up more questions about his decision making than his kicking on the fifth tackle. After winning the least-deserved Man of the Match award in the history of organized sport and earning a well-earned serve from rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns, ‘SJ’ desperately needs an epic performance to get his t-shirts and hoodies flying off the shelves.
6. It’s 2016
The All Blacks lost to Ireland, Cronulla won the Premiership, the Chicago Cubs are World Series champions and Donald Trump is going to be President of the United States. At this point it would be more of a shock if the Kiwis didn’t upset the Kangaroos on Sunday.
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments