This week NZRL chairmen Andrew Chalmers has launched another scathing attack on the British judicial system. What’s he whinging about? I mean, it’s not like this is anything new.
Any Super league fan that has followed the game more than 5 minutes will tell you our judicial system is an inconsistent farce and appears to lack any proper guidelines or rules.
Just look at the panel, 2 Brits and 1 Kiwi. It’s not impartial and each time the decision has surprise surprise been 2 to 1 against the solitary Kiwi. To any outsider it looks like the Kiwis are being stitched up. It’s totally unprofessional, they should have an Aussie in place of the second Brit so the panel can at least be seen to be impartial, and Chalmers can have few complaints on the rulings.
As for the on field action, I thought it was a good start for GB. For the first time in years GB attacked and they actually had structure. There were dummy runners giving the halfback options, switches in direction and when we went wide there was a second line or a ‘push’. In the past it has just been passed, slowly, and straight along the line and we have expected a gap to sh*t itself out of thin air.
Again, for the first time in years GB had a halves combo that could genuinely cause the opposition problems (shudders thinking of Harris, Deacon and the like), had good kicking games and weren’t particular weak links in defense.
Burrow and Pryce caused the kiwis problems all night, Burrow continually pinned them back with his kicking while Pryce looked dangerous every time he ran at the defense.
It all bodes well for the World Cup, but make no mistake, this is a very depleted kiwi outfit. They are missing a number of stars and are coping with the loss of Wiki and Jones who have recently retired. They are a shadow of the team that upset Australia in 2005.
But GB can only beat what is put out in front of them, something they haven’t managed since 93 and this is a glorious opportunity for them to get a win under their belt and build confidence ahead of the world cup.
There can be no slip ups, GB can’t afford to choke, they need to nail home their advantage over the Kiwis, get the series won and go into next years World cup with confidence and belief.
Tony Smith faces a selection Dilemma next week with Mcguire Sinfield and Yeamen all returning to action. I wouldn’t change the team too much, the only change I would make would be Sinfield for Wilkin. Because I feel Wilkin has offered very little at international level since his inclusion last season and Sinfield has a lot more value with his kicking abilities.
I wouldn’t include McGuire either. For the first time in ages we have what looks like a decent halves pairing in the making, so let’s not start trying to fix what isn’t broken, and besides, Pryce is just a better stand off than McGuire, in my opinion of course.
Both teams to improve, GB by 10 to 16.
