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2019 Test Double Header: Teams and Game Day

Fiji V Papua New Guinea, 5:20pm (NZT), 3:20pm (AEDT)
New Zealand V Great Britain, 8:00pm (NZT), 6:00pm (AEDT)
Saturday 9 November
Christchurch Stadium
Tickets: Click here
TV coverage: GEM and Fox League

Fiji

1. Sitiveni Moceidreke 2. Maika Sivo 3. Taane Milne 4. Brayden Wiliame 5. Suliasi Vunivalu 6. Kevin Naiqama 7. Brandon Wakeham 8. Kane Evans 9. Joe Lovodua 10. Tui Kamikamica 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Ben Nakubuwai 13. D'Rhys Miller

14. Lamar Liolevave 15. Joseph Ratuvakacereivalu 16. King Vuniyayawa 17. Penioni Tagituimua

18. Isaac Lumelume

Papaua New Guinea

1. Alex Johnston 2. Edene Gebbie 3. Daniel Russell 4. Justin Olam 5. Terry Wapi 6. Kyle Laybutt 7. Watson Boas 8. Wellington Albert 9. Wartovo Puara 10. Luke Page 11. Nixon Putt 12. Rhyse Martin 13. Moses Meninga

14. Edwin Ipape 15. Stanton Albert 16. Enoch Maki 17. Stargroth Amean

18. Garry Lo 19. Stanford Talita 20. David Mead

New Zealand

1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 2. Ken Maumalo 3. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 4. Joseph Manu 5. Jamayne Isaako 6. Shaun Johnson 7. Benji Marshall (c) 8. Zane Tetevano 9. Brandon Smith 10. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 11. Briton Nikora 12. Corey Harawira-Naera 13. Joseph Tapine

14. Kodi Nikorima 15. Kevin Proctor 16. Leeson Ah Mau 17. Adam Blair

18. Jahrome Hughes 19. Braden Hamlin-Uele

Great Britain

1. Jonny Lomax 2. Jermaine McGillvary 3. Jack Hughes 4. Jake Connor 18. Blake Austin 6. Gareth Widdop 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Chris Hill 9. Josh Hodgson 10. Tom Burgess 11. John Bateman 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. James Graham (c)

14. Josh Jones 16. Daryl Clark 17. Alex Walmsley 20. Luke Thompson

5. Zac Hardaker 19. George Williams

Blake Austin to make Test debut for Great Britain on the wing

Blake Austin will make his Test debut in the unusual position of winger after a shoulder injury forced Zak Hardaker out of the team to face New Zealand in the second Test in Christchurch on Saturday.

Read more: https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/11/08/aus ... -the-wing/

This was a really poorly selected tour squad.

zim wrote: ↑November 8, 2019, 10:21 am This was a really poorly selected tour squad.

If you're George Williams, you'd have to wonder why you're even there. Doesn't even look like he's going to get a game.

0 chance of injury is ok by me. But yes on a personal level it'd suck. Especially after 2 losses and 2 mostly lackluster games from the halves.

Still another game vs PNG for England?

Canberra Raiders recruit George Williams frustrated at not getting share of game time with Great Britain Lions

New Canberra Raiders signing George Williams admits it's been frustrating waiting for a chance in a Great Britain Lions squad stacked with six playmakers, missing selection in all three matches on the tour so far.

"Of course I am disappointed. You want to play every week, but I'm not the coach," Williams said. "I was lucky enough to play for England three times last year against the Kiwis and I was hoping to maybe build on that, but it's not meant to be at the moment.

Read more: https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/11/08/wil ... game-time/

Canberra Raiders star Josh Hodgson lauds Toronto Wolfpack's Sonny Bill Williams signing coup

Canberra Raiders and Great Britain hooker Josh Hodgson has lauded the Toronto Wolfpack's audacious two-year deal with Sonny Bill Williams reportedly worth up to $10 million.

"It's a really smart signing from them, to get someone like that to try to grow it. We all want the game to be as strong as possible, whether that be internationally or at club level, all over the world we need to push it as much as we can."

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... /?cs=14239

zim wrote: ↑November 8, 2019, 10:21 am This was a really poorly selected tour squad.

Yeah. Absolutely ridiculous. Especially considering how little game time a few of their outside backs had behind them too.

Latest Kiwis and Lions squads: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=33734&p=1707540#p1707540

Simonsson drops out for Kiwis.

Welcome to our coverage of today's Test Double Header at Christchurch! First up we have Fiji facing Papua New Guinea. No Canberra Raiders to keep a watch on in this game, but there is a former Raider in the PNG line up, Luke Page, while Fijians Sitiveni Moceidreke and Taane Milne are former Mounties. The double header is being broadcast live on GEM and Fox League. Live scores from 3:20pm AEDT.

Fiji

1. Sitiveni Moceidreke 2. Maika Sivo 3. Taane Milne 4. Brayden Wiliame 5. Suliasi Vunivalu 6. Kevin Naiqama 7. Brandon Wakeham 8. Kane Evans 9. Joe Lovodua 10. Tui Kamikamica 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Ben Nakubuwai 13. D'Rhys Miller

14. Lamar Liolevave 15. Joseph Ratuvakacereivalu 18. Isaac Lumelume 19. Penione Tagituimua

Papaua New Guinea

1. Alex Johnston 2. Edene Gebbie 3. Daniel Russell 4. Justin Olam 5. Terry Wapi 6. Kyle Laybutt 7. Watson Boas 8. Wellington Albert 9. Wartovo Puara 10. Luke Page 11. Nixon Putt 12. Rhyse Martin 13. Moses Meninga

14. Edwin Ipape 15. Stanton Albert 16. Enoch Maki 17. Stargroth Amean

There would be about two dozen people in the crowd in Christchurch. The triple header at Eden Park attracted a disappointing crowd of 25,257 in a ground that has a capactity of 50,000... and this crowd is embarrassing at this point. The Christchurch Stadium has a capacity of just 18,000... guess we'll see whether it gets close to that. There is something amiss in how these games have been staged/promoted.

The cultural ceremonies are over and PNG kick off, we are underway!

Entertaining stuff so far. PNG are almost there! I wonder who else qualifies for them if they wanted to.

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23rd min TRY FIJI to Tui Kamikamica. Just barged over the line, looked like he might be held up, but he stretches the arms and plants it. Brandon Wakeham converts. It has been a very willing contest in the opening 20 minutes, and PNG have done well.

Fiji 6-0

27th min TRY PAPUA NEW GUINES to Rhyse Martin, he follows a Kyle Laybutt kick ahead, the ball ricochets off a Fiji player, and Martin gathers it cleanly. Martin converts his own try.

Fiji 6
Papua New Guinea 6

32nd min TRY FIJI to Brayden Wiliame, Maika Sivo made a break down the touchline after Vunivalu's long pass to the winger... and Wiliame backs up Sivo inside. Brandon Wakeham converts.

Fiji 12
Papua New Guinea 6

34th min TRY PAPUA NEW GUINEA to Watson Boas. A loose carry from Ben Nakubuwai, and Edene Gebbie picks up the ball and makes great run before offloading to Boas inside. They strike straight back! Rhyse Martin... converts from the sideline!

Fiji 12
Papua New Guinea 12

40th min PENALTY GOAL to Rhyse Martin after the half time siren.

Papua New Guinea 14
Fiji 12

HALF TIME

44th min TRY FIJI to Viliame Kikau, he just charges onto the ball and goes straight through Kyle Laybutt. Fiji take back the lead. No conversion Brandon Wakeham.

Fiji 16
Papua New Guinea 14

48th min TRY PAPUA NEW GUINEA to Edene Gebbie under the posts. Incredible run right down the middle and then steps around Moceidreke easily. He's fast! Rhyse Martin converts.

Papua New Guinea 20
Fiji 16

53rd min TRY FIJI to Ben Nakubuwai under the posts, simple one pass hit up and he crashes over the line. Brandon Wakeham converts. The tries sure are flowing now!

Fiji 22
Papua New Guinea 20

61st min Looked like an extraordinary try for the Kumuls... but the referee has this call right... the chaser was just off side, a centimetre off side at the kick.

This is a really entertaining game! It’s been great!


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FULL TIME

Fiji 22
Papua New Guinea 20

Great finish and a great game! Terrific match.

MATCH REPORT: Fiji edge PNG in razzle-dazzle thriller in Christchurch

Fiji Bati have secured promotion to Pool A of next year's Oceania Cup after emerging 22-20 winners over the Papua New Guinea Kumuls in a thrilling Test where the lead changed hands four times.

Read more: https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/11/09/fij ... istchurch/

Match Highlights: Fiji v Papua New Guinea: https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/11/09/fij ... ew-guinea/

Only caught the second half but it was good fun

Laybutt looked quite good. Surprised he's only ever played two NRL games?

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Next up, the Test between the New Zealand Kiwis and Great Britain Lions. Five Canberra Raiders lining up! Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Joe Tapine will start for the Kiwis, with Bailey Simonsson dropping out of the final squad. Green Machine forwards Josh Hodgson, Elliott Whitehead and John Bateman will start for Great Britain.

The match is being broadcast live on GEM and Fox League. Live scores right here from 6:00pm AEDT.

New Zealand

1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 2. Ken Maumalo 3. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 4. Joseph Manu 5. Jamayne Isaako 6. Shaun Johnson 7. Benji Marshall (c) 8. Zane Tetevano 9. Brandon Smith 10. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 11. Briton Nikora 12. Corey Harawira-Naera 13. Joseph Tapine

14. Kodi Nikorima 15. Kevin Proctor 16. Leeson Ah Mau 17. Adam Blair

Great Britain

1. Jonny Lomax 2. Jermaine McGillvary 3. Jack Hughes 4. Jake Connor 18. Blake Austin 6. Gareth Widdop 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Chris Hill 9. Josh Hodgson 10. Tom Burgess 11. John Bateman 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. James Graham (c)

14. Josh Jones 16. Daryl Clark 17. Alex Walmsley 20. Luke Thompson

greeneyed wrote:This is a really entertaining game! It’s been great!


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I agree GE. A fantastic game.

I hope the international game continues to develop. A competitive international game with 6-8 competitive nations would be great.

Australia
NZ
England
Tonga
———-
Fiji
PNG
Samoa
———-
Cook Islands
France (Id like to see them get back to their former glory)



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Very average crowd in at Christchurch, both teams have completed their warm ups and are back in the sheds. Kick off due n nine minutes. Maori traditional welcome underway on field.

Great Britain the first team to file out onto the field, very long "player race" with the dressing rooms a fair way from the stadium. Now the Kiwis. First up, God Save the Queen. The three Canberra players stand side by side, alongside captain James Graham. Next God Defend New Zealand.

An impressive haka... and now the Lions kick off! We are underway!

4th min Blake Austin drops a fairly easy bomb.

Lol Austin

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5th min PENALTY GOAL NEW ZEALAND to Jamayne Isaako.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad made a very good raid on the try line in the lead up, just couldn't get across.

New Zealand 2
Great Britain 0

8th min PENALTY GOAL GREAT BRITAIN to Gareth Widdop. Both penalty goals the result of ruck infringements.

New Zealand 2
Great Britain 2

Poor ol Blake


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11th min Another bomb to Blake Austin from Shaun Johnson and he's taken over the sideline in the tackle.