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New Zealand require 'match of their lives'
NEW ZEALAND captain Nathan Cayless admits his team must produce the match of their lives if they are to wrest the World Cup from Australia's vice-like grip tomorrow.
The Kiwis have never won the trophy and are not fancied to break their duck against a side dubbed the best Kangaroo outfit for 15 years.
Cayless says the plaudits are deserved after Australia coasted through to the final, scoring 180 points and conceding just 16.
"I think it's all true," said the Parramatta prop, who is the only Kiwis survivor from the 2000 final at Old Trafford. "They've been outstanding. Some of the football they've played has been exciting.
"Their halves are playing well, Billy Slater is on fire and their forwards are going forward. There are no real areas in their game that we can identify as a weakness. A lot of players are on top of their game.
"We will need to have 17 players playing to the best of their ability. We can't afford to have two or three who are not at their best."
The Australians look to have the edge in all departments but a rumour coming out of their camp this week suggests there is one Kiwi they are at least wary of.
Wests Tigers stand-off Benji Marshall has been identified as a key threat and Australia's assistant coach John Cartwright declined the opportunity to dismiss the "Bash Benji" report in today's Brisbane Courier Mail when he spoke at a press conference.
"He's their main game-breaker," said Cartwright. "He can score tries from anywhere, he can set up tries from anywhere.
"It's not different to how we approach every game. The guy that sets up the opposition's plays, we've got to stop him."
New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney, who also played in the Kiwis' 40-12 defeat eight years ago, admits Marshall could be key to his side's bid to pull off an upset.
"From our perspective, it's about the 17," he said. "I know Benji can play good football if we set him a good platform.
"He's certainly an important part of what we do but, if the other 16 aren't doing their job, Benji won't be able to do his. So it's going to be a team performance.
"I guess it's normal tactics for a lot of sides to pick on the halves but he's got some handy help around him so I'm sure he will be okay."
Log on to this website on Saturday morning for a World Cup final match report.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
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Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
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