The Kangaroos fear a continuation of the wild weather that has battered south-east Queensland this week could reduce the rugby league World Cup final in Brisbane on Saturday night to a lottery.
Three electrical storms have ravaged the region since Sunday in what has been rated as the state’s worst natural disaster in 30 years, and further bad weather is forecast for Saturday.
Australia are hot favourites to claim the World Cup for the seventh time in a row and the 10th time in 13 attempts.
They have barely been challenged over the past month, and they also go into the final having won their last eight tests against New Zealand.
But assistant coach John Cartwright said a storm over Suncorp Stadium would mean the contest
“It could come down to the bounce of the ball”.
“It’s not the best side on paper, or who prepares the best,” he said.
“It’s who handles the conditions on the night.”
New Zealand skipper Nathan Cayless said any heavy rain would put a premium on ball control, something the Kiwis had been targeting anyway after turning over plenty of possession in their semifinal against England.
But Cayless looked perplexed when asked if a storm would help the New Zealand cause.
“I don’t know about that, playing in a storm,” he said.
“I’ve never played in a storm before. I’ve played the Melbourne Storm, but not a Mother Nature storm.”
Whatever the conditions, the Kiwis face an uphill task against a side that has been classed among the best that Australia has produced in a century of international football.
Cayless didn’t begrudge all the praise that rival skipper Darren Lockyer and his teammates were getting.
“I think it’s all true, they’ve been outstanding,” he said.
“Some of the football they’ve played has been very exciting.”
He pointed to the danger posed by the halves pairing of Lockyer and Johnathan Thurston, while fullback and newly-named International Player of the Year Billy Slater was “on fire”.
“Their forwards are going forward and there’s no real areas in their team we can identify as a weakness,” he said.
“They have a lot of players at the top of their game playing really well.”
Cayless said the answer to nullifying Australia’s array of talent was having all 17 Kiwis bring out their A game.
“We can’t afford to have two or three players who are not playing at their best,” he said.
“We need everyone to make sure they’re doing their job, doing their role.”
He identified the kicking game and ball security as two key elements the Kiwis would have to improve from their 30-6 pool defeat to the Kangaroos four weeks ago.
New Zealand have never won the World Cup, their best efforts being runners-up twice, in 1988 and also in 2000, the last time the tournament was held.
Along with Lockyer, Cayless is one of two survivors from the 2000 final, which Australian won 40-12 at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Cayless started on the bench, while also in the New Zealand side that day was second rower and now test coach Stephen Kearney.
Of the present Kiwis side, Cayless, 30, is the most experienced member by far with 37 caps.
He said his message to his teammates was to have no regrets after the final whistle.
“It’s just making sure we leave everything out there on the field because I’m not too sure if a lot of us will get another opportunity to play in a World Cup,” he said.
“We’re pretty aware of the occasion and what it means to our families and our supporters in New Zealand.”
NZPA
