Australia mulling big bench for NZ test in RLWC semi-finals

After 28 games and 1,600 points, the 2022 Rugby League World Cup has come down to the big four – New Zealand, England, Australia, and Samoa.

The finalists will be known next week after tournament favourites Australia, ranked No.4 in the world, face off against the world’s No.1-ranked nation, New Zealand.

The other semi-final showdown will be between hosts England, ranked No.3 in the world, and the No.7-ranked Samoa.

While the detractors of the tournament claim there are too many lopsided scores and may have a case for it to be split into the top nations with another competition for the developing countries, the World Cup has still tossed up a smorgasbord of tries and talent.

In 2,240 minutes of football leading up to this weekend’s semi-finals, there have been 269 tries and 1,600 points scored.

The biggest win belonged to hosts England, who walloped Greece 94-4 while bagging the biggest try haul of the tournament with 17.

Some of the best individual try-feasts included Australian flying machine Josh Addo-Carr with 11 tries from three games, including five against Lebanon in the Kangaroos’ 48-4 quarter-final win at Huddersfield.

Then there was the emergence of exciting young England winger Dominic Young, who starred with nine tries in four games.

Another notable performance came from New Zealand star Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who jagged four tries against Jamaica.

England (242) just pipped Australia (240) for the most points of the tournament so far, and also the most tries at 43-42, but Australia’s defence in conceding just 18 points was outstanding.

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga admits he has a few selection dilemmas ahead of the blockbuster with the Kiwis at Elland Road on Saturday morning (6:45am AEDT).

He is tempted to put four forwards on his bench to handle the aggressive and physical Kiwis with big men Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Patrick Carrigan, Lindsay Collins, and Jake Trbojevic, or go with a worker like Reuben Cotter.

He also likes the idea of playing Ben Hunt with Harry Grant as rotating dummy halves.

“We can go with the big boppers and keep bashing them all day,” Meninga told SEN’s Brisbane morning show host Ben Davis from Manchester today.

“If we want to win this World Cup, we’ve got to be ruthless in the way we play.”

Now it’s down to the business end of the tournament where the top four roll out their best teams and combinations in a bid to win the title.

So let’s take a look at the performances of the big four that are left standing.

First semi-final: New Zealand v Australia

Saturday, November 12 — 6:45am AEDT
Elland Road, Leeds

NEW ZEALAND
World ranking: 1
Tries: 33
Points for: 174
Points against: 46
Biggest win so far: 68-6 v Jamaica
Leading try scorer: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 4
Odds: $4.50 at Marantelli Bet

AUSTRALIA
World ranking: 4
Tries: 42
Points for: 240
Points against: 18
Biggest win so far: 84-0 v Scotland
Leading try scorer: Josh Addo-Carr, 11
Odds: $1.20 at Marantelli Bet

Second semi-final: England v Samoa

Sunday, November 13 — 1:30am AEDT
Emirates Stadium, London

ENGLAND
World Ranking: 4
Tries: 43
Points for: 242
Points against: 36
Biggest win so far: 94-4 v Greece
Leading try scorer: Dominic Young, 9
Odds: $1.35 at Marantelli Bet

SAMOA
World ranking: 7
Tries: 28
Points for: 160
Points against: 86
Biggest win so far: 72-4 v Greece
Leading try scorer: Tylan May, 4
Odds: $4.35 at Marantelli Bet

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