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The round up of world cup nations continues with the country that I’ve spent the last year in – New Zealand. The land of the long white cloud apparently, I tend to see a lot more rainy grey ones recently. 

In a land mad about rugby union it often seems league doesn’t get much of a look in, with only one professional team in the country. However when the Warriors got to the play-offs this season there was certainly a heightened interest in rugby league in the country and hopefully that can be carried into the world cup by the Kiwi’s. 

So despite missing a few players – Sonny Bill Williams heading off to France to sulk playing Union, Wiki retiring and Asotasi and Brent Webb ruled out – there is still a good squad that will be performing the Haka in the famous black of New Zealand.

The Squad

Nathan Cayless (Parramatta, captain), Adam Blair (Melbourne), Greg Eastwood (Brisbane), David Fa’alogo (South Sydney), Nathan Fien (New Zealand Warriors), Dene Halatau (Wests Tigers), Lance Hohaia (NZ Warriors), Krisnan Inu (Parramatta), David Kidwell (South Sydney), Thomas Leuluai (Wigan), Jeff Lima (Melbourne), Issac Luke (South Sydney), Simon Mannering (NZ Warriors), Sika Manu (Melbourne), Benji Marshall (Wests Tigers), Steve Matai (Manly), Sam Perrett (Sydney Roosters), Sam Rapira (NZ Warriors), Jerome Ropati (NZ Warriors), Setaimata Sa (Sydney Roosters), Jeremy Smith (Melbourne), Iosia Soliola (Sydney Roosters), Manu Vatuvei (NZ Warriors)

Coached by Steve Kearny and captained by Nathan Cayless most of the squad ply their trade in the NRL and there’s no doubt the players will be wanting to improve on their two best world cup showings of runner up and go on to win the competition this time. I don’t think however they’ll be quite good enough to overcome England let alone beat the Aussies and lift the trophy.

William Hill Odds : 6/1

(Bet on Rugby League with William Hill)

13 stone versus 16 stone and not the usual result. A great hit from Leuluai during a Wigan Saints game earlier this season. One of my favourite from the season which I’ve been meaning to post for ages but just not gotten round to.

Until now, so enjoy!

So as everyone starts announcing their squads we will be bringing you those exact details and a quick summary of each competing nation. So where better to start than holders, hosts and the usual winners – you guessed it that whinging southern hemisphere lot – Australia.

Now if you’ve found your way to a rugby league site such as this one I should imagine you know about Australia, home to arguably the best club rugby league competition in the world in the NRL, rugby league is pretty popular there. They have won 9 out of 12 world cups, not a bad record I’m sure you’ll agree, and they are favourites to win this one as well.

(At the moment 2/9 Bet on Rugby League with William Hill)

The 24 man squad announced by coach Ricky Stuart is as follows : 

Terry Campese (Canberra Raiders), Justin Hodges (Brisbane Broncos), Darren Lockyer (Brisbane Broncos, capt), Joel Monaghan (Canberra Raiders), Paul Gallen (Cronulla Sharks), Anthony Laffranchi (Gold Coast Titans), Scott Prince (Gold Coast Titans), Brent Kite, Josh Perry, Brett Stewart, Glenn Stewart, Anthony Watmough, David Williams (all Manly Sea Eagles), MichaelCrocker, Israel Folau, Greg Inglis, Billy Slater, Cameron Smith (all Melbourne Storm), Kurt Gidley (Newcastle Knights), Johnathan Thurston (North QLD Cowboys), Steve Price (NZ Warriors), Brent Tate (NZ Warriors), Petero Civoniceva (Penrith Panthers), Craig Fitzgibbon (Sydney Roosters)

Only 2 players plying their trade outside of Australia and that’s Steve Price and Brent Tate who play in the NRL still with the Warriors. Captained by Darren Lockyer there’s a good squad with plenty of talent and 11 players who from this years grand final teams Manly and Melbourne.

You’d be hard pushed to find anyone who will disagree with the Aussies tag of favourites but the most the likely to teams to cause them any upset will be New Zealand or England, both competing with Australia and Papau New Guinea in Pool A.

And well I don’t think there’s not much to write really, everyone knows about Australia, it’s all there to see and they have a very strong good looking squad. Oh and they’re nicknamed the Kangaroos.

“And if you screw up just this much, you’ll be flying a plane full of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong!”

The famous line delivered by the man on the right, actor James Tolkan of Top Gun and also Back to the Future fame, and not by the bloke on the left, channel 9 commentator Peter Stirling. I can see how you’d get confused though.

More shit look-alikes to admin@fifthandlast.com

(images http://www.celebrityspeakers.com.au and www.hotflick.net )

Well that wasn’t what I was expecting. After the rubbish pre-game goings on (what was with drumming on BBQs?) the game kicked off and Manly pulled out the biggest grand final win since 1975 when Eastern Suburbs put 38 past St George and Melbourne turned up the first scoreless performance since Cronulla in 78. (I’m not a stat man I just read both of those from the NRL website)

So probably not the best day for the Storm but Manly looked every bit in control of the game, a great hat-trick from Michael Robertson and Steve Menzies played a record equalling 349th appearance as he retires from the game. You can watch it all above.

It’s now all eyes towards the world cup as the questions around the Australia squad are soon to be answered and the England train on squad welcomes those players who will come from the Leeds and Saints teams, there should be a few players there at least.

Oh and sadly tipping baby didn’t finish the season on a high having predicted a Melbourne win.

Well it was bound to happen, I say I’m gonna back Saints and they turn up all rubbish on the day. A poor performance from the Saints full of errors and lacking the usual confidence and control of the game. Coupled with a Leeds team who turned up determined and came up with a good performance on the day in the wet conditions and become only the second team to retain the Super League trophy. 

Anyways all the Leeds fans can please themselves with this video from youtube (not sure about the music though).

Tipping Baby is finishing off the season having not done too badly. Not quite the Sharks – Manly final tipping baby picked last week but lets see if he can finish off the season with a good prediction.

Leeds and Saints meet at Old Trafford this weekend in a rematch from last years grand final. You can watch all the tries from Leeds’ victory in the nice youtube video above. 

The 19 man squads are listed after the click. The only change is that Leeds are without Kiwi fullback Brent Webb who has suffered a recurrance of a back injury. He hasn’t been replaced in the 19 man sqaud.

My money is on Saints this year but it promises to be a close game and my money was on Saints last year and that got me nowhere.