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Rugby League World Cup 2008
KIWIZ vs England
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<blockquote data-quote="St Helens RLFC" data-source="post: 228311"><p><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7714017.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7714017.stm</a></p><p></p><p><strong>England coach Tony Smith looks set to freshen up his side for their final World Cup group match against New Zealand on Saturday.</strong> </p><p></p><p>After their 52-4 drubbing by Australia, Smith wants to rest some players and give others the chance to push for selection ahead of a semi-final clash. </p><p></p><p>"We want to create some competition and we're keen to give a shot to all the players who haven't had one," he said. </p><p></p><p>"Some of them may be in different positions to what they're used to." </p><p></p><p>With group A teams finishing second and third facing each other in the semis, England and New Zealand are likely to clash again on 15 November. </p><p></p><p>England will be without St Helens forward Maurie Fa'asavalu, who is out of the tournament with a hand injury, and Jon Wilkin is sidelined witha facial injury, while stand-off Leon Pryce's rib problem is likely to keep him out of action. </p><p></p><p>Centre Paul Sykes and forwards Ben Westwood, Rob Purdham, Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Mickey Higham and Jamie Langley may all feature against a New Zealand side who thrashed Papua New Guinea 48-6. <img src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p></p><p>Smith has revealed second rowers Westwood and Gareth Hock will be used up front, with Lee Smith and Mark Calderwood starting on the wing. </p><p></p><p>With the team to be announced on Friday, Smith added: "Some of these boys have been sitting there for a couple of weeks and now they've got their opportunity. </p><p></p><p>"They've been terrific in training and shown tremendous team spirit. I expect they'll be jumping out of their skins and bring a lift to the team with their enthusiasm." </p><p></p><p>With England still smarting after the Australian defeat, Smith believes his side still have the talent to progress. </p><p></p><p>"If we put in a good performance this week, we'll be fine," he said. </p><p></p><p>"That builds confidence and team cohesion. We've dropped one of our last eight and it was against the world champions so it's not all doom and gloom. </p><p></p><p>"We don't have to be quite at our best yet but we're building towards it." </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>England (from): </strong>Burrow, Calderwood, Ellis, Gleeson, Higham, Hock, Jones-Buchanan, Langley, McGuire, Morley, Peacock (capt), Pryce, Purdham, Senior, Sinfield, Smith, Sykes, Wellens, Westwood. <strong>New Zealand:</strong> Hohaia, Nightingale, Matai, Ropati, Vatuvei, Marshall, Leuluai, Blair, Fien, Tuimavave, Mannering, Fa'alogo, Smith (capt). Replacements: Luke, Eastwood, Harrison, Kidwell. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>England should go all out to win this game, but we haven't really, it's a reserve team that essentially. I wouldn't be surprised if the Kiwis socked us, but this game is essentially the opportunity for a psychological boost, nothing more.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="St Helens RLFC, post: 228311"] [url="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7714017.stm"]http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7714017.stm[/url] [b]England coach Tony Smith looks set to freshen up his side for their final World Cup group match against New Zealand on Saturday.[/b] After their 52-4 drubbing by Australia, Smith wants to rest some players and give others the chance to push for selection ahead of a semi-final clash. "We want to create some competition and we're keen to give a shot to all the players who haven't had one," he said. "Some of them may be in different positions to what they're used to." With group A teams finishing second and third facing each other in the semis, England and New Zealand are likely to clash again on 15 November. England will be without St Helens forward Maurie Fa'asavalu, who is out of the tournament with a hand injury, and Jon Wilkin is sidelined witha facial injury, while stand-off Leon Pryce's rib problem is likely to keep him out of action. Centre Paul Sykes and forwards Ben Westwood, Rob Purdham, Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Mickey Higham and Jamie Langley may all feature against a New Zealand side who thrashed Papua New Guinea 48-6. [img]http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif[/img] Smith has revealed second rowers Westwood and Gareth Hock will be used up front, with Lee Smith and Mark Calderwood starting on the wing. With the team to be announced on Friday, Smith added: "Some of these boys have been sitting there for a couple of weeks and now they've got their opportunity. "They've been terrific in training and shown tremendous team spirit. I expect they'll be jumping out of their skins and bring a lift to the team with their enthusiasm." With England still smarting after the Australian defeat, Smith believes his side still have the talent to progress. "If we put in a good performance this week, we'll be fine," he said. "That builds confidence and team cohesion. We've dropped one of our last eight and it was against the world champions so it's not all doom and gloom. "We don't have to be quite at our best yet but we're building towards it." [b]England (from): [/b]Burrow, Calderwood, Ellis, Gleeson, Higham, Hock, Jones-Buchanan, Langley, McGuire, Morley, Peacock (capt), Pryce, Purdham, Senior, Sinfield, Smith, Sykes, Wellens, Westwood. [b]New Zealand:[/b] Hohaia, Nightingale, Matai, Ropati, Vatuvei, Marshall, Leuluai, Blair, Fien, Tuimavave, Mannering, Fa'alogo, Smith (capt). Replacements: Luke, Eastwood, Harrison, Kidwell. England should go all out to win this game, but we haven't really, it's a reserve team that essentially. I wouldn't be surprised if the Kiwis socked us, but this game is essentially the opportunity for a psychological boost, nothing more. [/QUOTE]
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