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Friday World Cup breakfast briefing
Price not right for final Australia have suffered a major injury blow on the eve of the World Cup final against New Zealand with veteran prop Steve Price ruled out.
The 33-year-old New Zealand Warriors front row will miss tomorrow's game at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium after tearing his left calf muscle at the team's final training session today.
Price pulled up suddenly during a routine drill and, after consultation with the team's medical staff, was withdrawn from the squad.
The Kangaroos will announce a replacement tomorrow but are expected to promote Manly prop Brent Kite into the starting line-up and bring in his Sea Eagles' team-mate Josh Perry onto the bench.
Perry, 27, was on the bench for Australia's opening pool matches against New Zealand and England but made way for second rower Craig Fitzgibbon in the last two games.
The Kangaroos received some good news today when loose forward Paul Gallen completed training after initially struggling with a "dead leg" and will take his place in the team.
Anthony Whatmough had been placed on stand-by.
Coach Ricky Stuart had already been forced to make one change to the side that beat Fiji 52-0 last Sunday, with winger David Williams taking the place of the injured Brent Tate.
Williams scored a hat-trick of tries on debut against Papua New Guinea a fortnight ago and, according to assistant coach John Cartwright, will not let his team down.
"He had a great year with the Sea Eagles and he's prepared all week like he's gong to play so he'll be alright," he said.
Final set to ride the storm
ORGANISERS have insisted today's World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand will go ahead despite mounting concerns that another cyclonic storm is heading for Brisbane.
The match is scheduled to kick off at 7pm (9am GMT), the same time Queensland has been battered by raging storms in the last two days.
On Thursday night the city ground to a virtual standstill as strong winds, torrential rain and hailstones the size of ping-pong ball had pedestrians and motorists running for cover.
More storms are forecast over the weekend but World Cup officials and the management team at Suncorp Stadium are confident the final will be plated as planned.
Around 15 inches of rain has fallen on Brisbane since last Sunday and the roof of the Suncorp Stadium was damaged in the winds, which are predicted to be even stronger over the next few days.
"This is a major venue that is used to accommodating large crowds in all conditions and we have every confidence in their procedures," said World Cup director Colin Love.
The stadium's general manager, Englishman Paul Sergeant who has previously held similar roles at the old Wembley and the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, said: "We are happy with the way the ground has held up through the last few days.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: West
