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NZ win in warmup fixture
Thursday, July 3rd, 2008
The New Zealand Universities and Tertiary Students Rugby League side were tested against a Wests Mitchelton XIII before winning 34-24 at Mitchelton Park in Brisbane, Australia on Wednesday night in their only warmup fixture prior to their first Student World Cup match this Saturday.The NZUTRL coach Trevor McLeod said the game was forced to be played in three 20 minute thirds after the team bus ran an hour late before picking up the side.
“It was a good workout the boys who despite not having much ball in the last third, they showed enough to hang on with some resolute defence.”
Canterbury University right centre Ben Hurrell collected two tries while his older brother Scott kicked over five goals from the six tries scored for the academic kiwis.
McLeod said the inside half debutant pairing of scrumhalf Pose Manu and standoff Royaldo Leoni along with loose forward Paul Aitkin also made some good impacts into the match.
The first World Cup match for New Zealand will be against France at Griffith University on Saturday with the New Zealand captain and vice captain being named on the day.
“Having never coached a New Zealand team against France in the previous two World Cup sides I have been with, I am not sure what to expect, except that I know they are bound to be physical as was the case when we saw them play Australia in one of the 2005 semi-finals.”
The New Zealand squad to play France with two to be omitted is.- Scott Hurrell (Canterbury), Isaac Beach (Auckland), Ben Hurrell (Canterbury), Siona Tuiloma (Canterbury), Emmanuel Toka (Waikato), Royaldo Leoni (Otago), Pose Manu (Canterbury), Henry Heke (Victoria), Danny Maera (Auckland), Isaac Liava’a (Auckland), Paul Aitkin (Auckland), Laupepa Pasene (Otago), Daniel McGregor (Auckland), Tasi Cordtz (Otago), Rema Smith (Otago), Keegan Taia (Canterbury), Mohi Kendrick (Eastern Institute of Technology, Hawkes Bay), James Roughan (Canterbury), Kererua Savage (Victoria), Anthony Mataroa (Canterbury), Johnny Pitman (Canterbury), Troy McKenzie (Waikato).
