Four Nations Week 2 Preview
It's going to be pretty hard to back up that first weekend of the Four Nations, but when there's a Kiwis match in the naughty north - Whangarei, it's hard not to get excited. We've got the Kiwis taking on Samoa while the Kangaroos take on the English, both games provide many reasons to watch and take note despite many thinking they'll go one way.
The Kiwis will face a Samoan side who can definitely match them up front. The Kiwis beat the Kangaroos thanks to great play in the forwards and a game plan that put the strengths of the Kiwis to good use. I've been repeating myself a fair bit with this point but the speed and power of the Kiwis forwards is the key, they are as big as they are mobile and skillful. It's a huge advantage to have, especially when your game plan revolves around quick play the balls up the guts.
I never thought I'd say this but Samoa look to have a pack that's a wee bit light. Size-wise the Kiwis have an advantage even with Mose Masoe in the mix but expect the likes of Jesse Bromwich and Adam Blair to trouble Samoa with their footwork and off loading ability while the likes of Jason Taumalolo and Martin Taupau will punch holes in the D line all day. The Kiwis used Kevin Proctor heavily against the Kangaroos and expect them to do the same, hitting the middle a few times then going to an edge to get Proctor and Simon Mannering running in to half gaps. Isaac Luke's return should be a thing of beauty.
Good to see Lewis Brown getting another run off the bench and I love this back 5 for the Kiwis. The return of Manu Vatuvei gives them yet another weapon and big body while Dean Whare and Shaun Kenny-Dowall should benefit from spending more time training with Peta Hiku at fullback.
Once again, it's hard to see Samoa doing a whole lot with Kyle Stanley at half back. If the Samoan forward pack can match the Kiwis up front, they don't have the halves to make clinical decisions to reap the rewards. They do have Pita Godinet though, he's awesome and will be dangerous around the ruck. That battle between Godinet and Luke will be great to watch.
Picking the Kiwis here. And expect an uber hearty haka for the Northlanders.
Let's be honest, the Kiwis got a helping hand with Greg Inglis and Daly Cherry-Evans leaving the field for the Kangaroos last weekend. I can't see a repeat performance from the Kangaroos and I'm expecting the opposite, especially when I look at Inglis, DCE, Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk.
The English don't have the forward pack to really trouble the Kangaroos. Yes, they do have the Burgess twins and James Graham but the Aussies will line up tough on these 3 and would have done their home work on Graham and how he operates. The key men for the English are Sam Tomkins, Gareth Widdop and Matty Smith. They first job will be to get them in the grind, kick to the corners, keep the Kangaroos coming off their own try line and definitely do not give easy ways off their try line - a 20 metre restart is the devil. They will then have to all be on the same page, the same paragraph because they have the ability to combine and produce some lovely attacking footy.
The Kangaroos will be keeping close tabs on Sam Tomkins which will provide opportunities for Widdop and Smith to run the ball or hit powerful edge runners - Kallum Watkins and Joel Tomkins especially. If Widdop and Smith can offer a running game threat, then that will offer Sam Tomkins a bit more time and space.
I'm pretty interested to see how Sione Mata'utia goes. I think I'm alone in not being completely sold on how apparently awesome he is but I'm open to being proven wrong. Is he better than Alex Johnston? No.
I'm backing the Kangaroos, but I wouldn't mind putting a foot in the English camp. They could smell blood and turn up with a lethal performance that completely demoralizes the Kangaroos, or the Kangaroos could get back on track and do what they do. I've seen the Kangaroos bounce back professionally too often to go against them.