Last updated: 21st November 2008
Cayless: played in 2000 final
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.
Nathan Cayless
Quotes of the week
New Zealand captain Nathan Cayless admits it will take an heroic effort from all 17 Kiwi players if they are to upset Australia in Saturday's World Cup final.
The Kangaroos - winners of the last six World Cups - are hot favourites to repeat their success over New Zealand in the 2000 final.
Cayless - the only Kiwi survivor from the that Old Trafford clash - has been impressed by the Green and Gold machine.
"They've been outstanding. Some of the football they've played has been exciting," he said.
"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 Kiwis are aiming to halt a run of eight successive defeats at the hands of Australia, going back to their shock 24-0 victory in the 2005 Tri-Nations final.
Cayless says his players are acutely aware of the sense of occasion and are determined to grasp their opportunity.
"We've spoken a lot this week about not having regrets after the match, just making sure we leave everything out there on the field because I'm not too sure if a lot of us will get another opportunity to play in another World Cup final," he added.
"It's been eight years since the last one and who knows when the next one will be? We're pretty aware of the occasion and what it means to us and our families and supporters in New Zealand.
"It's a special occasion. We've worked really hard over the last six or seven weeks and we're really looking forward to it."
The Kangaroos were boosted on Friday when loose forward Paul Gallen completed training after initially struggling with a "dead leg" and will take his place in the team.
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Engage Super League | |
| Saturday 4th July | |
| 17:00 | Hull vs Leeds |
| 18:00 | Celtic Crusaders vs Warrington |
| 20:00 | Catalans Dragons vs Hull K R |
| Sunday 5th July | |
| 15:00 | Bradford vs Castleford |
| 15:00 | Huddersfield vs Wakefield |
| Friday 10th July | |
| 20:00 | Wigan vs Catalans Dragons |
| Saturday 11th July | |
| 15:00 | Harlequins RL vs Huddersfield |
| 18:00 | Celtic Crusaders vs Salford |
| Sunday 12th July | |
| 15:00 | Hull K R vs Bradford |
| 15:00 | Warrington vs St Helens |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Engage Super League | |
| Friday 3rd July | |
| Salford 20 - 10 St Helens | |
| Wigan 40 - 12 Harlequins RL | |
| Sunday 28th June | |
| Hull K R 28 - 36 Wigan | |
| Wakefield 20 - 18 Harlequins RL | |
| Warrington 24 - 12 Hull | |
| Saturday 27th June | |
| Castleford 20 - 22 Catalans Dragons | |
| Friday 26th June | |
| Leeds 33 - 20 Bradford | |
| Salford 10 - 34 Huddersfield | |
| St Helens 30 - 0 Celtic Crusaders | |
| Sunday 21st June | |
| Bradford 18 - 44 St Helens | |
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