Kangaroos facing toughest RLWC semi finals challenge since 1995

[The Partisan]

2000 - v Wales (Won 46 -22....albeit after an early Welsh challenge) 

2008 - v Fiji (Won 52-0)

2013 - v Fiji (Won 64 -0)

2017 - v Fiji ( Won 54 - 6)

1995 saw Australia get home in extra time against a gritty New Zealand team. 

 

I think this could be a defining moment for the sport.

 

Could be the first RLWC final (where finals have been played) to not feature Australia since 1954. 

 

So to my English compatriots of international Rugby League, IF you guys make it to the final ...what scenario would you prefer to see ? 

 

England playing a semi final winning Australia so you can possibly have that occassion of enjoying a historic win over the arch enemy in a RLWC final to reclaim the trophy after 50 years .....

 

or

 

.... seeing New Zealand end Australia's campaign setting up a historic first ever final between England and New Zealand and hopefully avenging the 2013 heartbreaking semi final loss ? 

No fence sitting ...pick a scenario

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 5, 2022 by The Partisan

[17 stone giant]

Australia.

[MZH]

If the Kiwis play the way they have played in the tournament so far it won't be much of a challenge at all.  

[Gomersall]

Australia as I just can’t see this Kiwi team being good enough to beat the Kangaroos.

[Alan Robertson]

Manu, Fisher-Harris and Tapine will have to have to play to their absolute potential for NZ to stand a realistic chance. Hughes, Brown and Jesse Bromwich will need to be at the very top of their games too.

[Gomersall]

1 minute ago, Alan Robertson said:

Manu, Fisher-Harris and Tapine will have to have to play to their absolute potential for NZ to stand a realistic chance. Hughes, Brown and Jesse Bromwich will need to be at the very top of their games too.

I think 1-17 all need to step up realistically regardless of who they are.

[Northern Eel]

I want NZ to beat Australia and then England reach the final and beat them too. 

There’s a strong possibility of a Tonga V Australia final too. At that stage, we’re all Tonga, aren’t we 

[GeordieSaint]

That game last night may work in the Kiwis favour; a tough, 80min, high pressurised battle. The Aussies however, other than for 10mins against Fiji in Round 1, have not been pressurised. There are mistakes in this Aussie team. They are not the Lockyer - Smith - Thurston - Meninga et al generations. Friday should be a cracker and I would not be surprised if the Kiwis surprise us and reach the final. 

[redjonn]

Australia haven't had to raise their game todate. They have smoothed out the combinations and processes are clicking. Plus they are as big as NZ. Just can't see past Australia.

Like NZ to win but Australia to win relatively comfortablely. Of course yer never know... I maybe surprised.

[Gomersall]

1 hour ago, Northern Eel said:

I want NZ to beat Australia and then England reach the final and beat them too. 

There’s a strong possibility of a Tonga V Australia final too. At that stage, we’re all Tonga, aren’t we 

I’ll have to be neutral unfortunately. I don’t do red and white.

[latchford albion]

I would get more satisfaction from beating Australia, but hope the kiwis beat them in the semi,

[The Future is League]

The Kangaroos by 16.

[Moe syszlak]

We will beat either of them. Personally I'd love to see us lift that trophy with the aussies all sat on the turf crying, so I'm hoping for an aussie win next week.

[Harry Stottle]

11 hours ago, The Partisan said:

1995 saw Australia get home in extra time against a gritty New Zealand team. 

Wasn't this in the Australian "SL War" when the Kangaroos were devoid of a lot of their star player's?

Just asking.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

I'd like us to beat the winner of today's game before I decide who I want in the final. No guarantee that will happen.

I also can't see this NZ team troubling Australia. Could have been Fiji for a 4th time in a row! What a strange statistic given the teams Fiji have played to get there each time! Don't think they get enough credit.

[The_Gun]

On paper the sides are closely matched, however, in practice there’s been a huge gulf in performances. 
 

The Kiwis still have the potential to win on Friday, but to do so they’ll need to play their best players in their best positions and discover some kind of attacking structure.

[Harry Stottle]

4 minutes ago, The_Gun said:

On paper the sides are closely matched, however, in practice there’s been a huge gulf in performances. 
 

The Kiwis still have the potential to win on Friday, but to do so they’ll need to play their best players in their best positions and discover some kind of attacking structure.

Yep, Nicholl-Klokstad is never a centre but he is a very accomplished Full Back, whilst on the other hand Manu is arguably the best centre in the game, as you say they need to play to their strengths.

[The Masked Poster]

1 hour ago, GeordieSaint said:

That game last night may work in the Kiwis favour; a tough, 80min, high pressurised battle. The Aussies however, other than for 10mins against Fiji in Round 1, have not been pressurised. There are mistakes in this Aussie team. They are not the Lockyer - Smith - Thurston - Meninga et al generations. Friday should be a cracker and I would not be surprised if the Kiwis surprise us and reach the final. 

I've seen many Australian teams and even written some of them off....only for it to bite me on the R's later. This team is undoubtedly talented but I think they are inexperienced in this sort of situation. 

When they had Thurston, Lockyer etc etc I sort of knew I was kidding myself and they were too good and would somehow win in the end. 

But I don't know.....this current team look very beatable. 

But I've been here before too many times to really believe it until it happens. 

[Harry Stottle]

13 minutes ago, Wellsy4HullFC said:

I'd like us to beat the winner of today's game before I decide who I want in the final. No guarantee that will happen.

I also can't see this NZ team troubling Australia. Could have been Fiji for a 4th time in a row! What a strange statistic given the teams Fiji have played to get there each time! Don't think they get enough credit.

We will already know who would be the finalist from the Aus/NZ semi before we meet the winner of today's game, and it seems you have already made your mind up that it will be the Kangaroo's.

[Tosh]

43 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Wasn't this in the Australian "SL War" when the Kangaroos were devoid of a lot of their star player's?

Just asking.

Yes it was.

The aussies didn’t select any players that were signed by super league.

[Dunbar]

I was a bit torn last night.

I thought the Fijians played really well and NZ were poor by their standards.  This created a close game.

But despite my heart going for Fiji in the closing stages, logically I really wanted the Kiwis to win.  You only have to look at the last three semi finals to see that Fiji would have been beaten before the game started (as they were in the group game against the Kangaroos).  The Kiwis don't have this mental barrier to overcome.

The Kiwis haven't played well yet but they can.  I think it will be a close semi that can go either way.

A perfect end to the World Cup for me would be defeat Australia in the final but I am not hoping to play them!

[Tosh]

New Zealand will raise their game for the clash against the Aussies. They always do.

Any team that can call upon the likes of manu, brown, smith, nas, mulitalo, Hughes and tapine etc have more than a chance.

[Davo5]

Australia are firm favourites but I’m certainly not writing the Kiwi’s off especially if McGuire gets his selection right.

The Aussies are going into this game undercooked and yesterday’s thriller with Fiji won’t have done NZ any harm going into the semifinal.

[The Partisan]

23 minutes ago, Tosh said:

Yes it was.

The aussies didn’t select any players that were signed by super league.

Exactamundo ! 

[Tosh]

6 minutes ago, The Partisan said:

Exactamundo ! 

Meaning what?