Samoa skipper Junior Paulo has been cleared to play in the World Cup semi-final after successfully overcoming a one-match ban.
For his part, the Kangaroos coach, Mal Meninga. has hinted at some changes to the Australian bench for their semi-final clash with New Zealand.
Read on for all the World Cup kick-off mail.
Tonga v Samoa: Match details | 02:59
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Australia v New Zealand 6.45am AEDT, Saturday 12 November
Team Australia: tuberculosis
Advance Mail: Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga told Fox League ahead of Australia’s quarter-finals that the squad was basically settled. That means we can wait Nathan Cleary i Cameron Munster to join us in the halves again this week, Valentine Holmes i Josh Addo-Carr in the wings and Jack Wighton i Latrell Mitchell in the centers Isaac Yeo beat Cameron Murray in the blocking role but the latter will be on the bench, while Liam Martin’s The Penrith combination earned him a place in the starting second row with Angus Crichton on the other hand. pattern James Tedesco suffered a cork against Lebanon and was unable to finish the game but is expected to be cleared to face New Zealand. Reagan Campbell-Gillard could enter contention for the front group after missing the quarter-finals due to a cork. The big selection call that Meninga will have to make is who will fill the utility role of the bank. Ben Hunt rested during the quarterfinals, opening the door Daly Cherry-Evans to raise your hand The veteran played 40 minutes off the bench and while he didn’t set the world on fire, he was solid, running for 42 metres, grabbing four tackles and making 13 tackles without an error.
Menina said the quality of the Kiwi forwards could force his hand when it comes to the Kangaroos bench.
“Obviously we will be tested defensively this week … we lacked a bit of composure (against Lebanon), if we want to win the World Cup we will have to get a good win,” Meninga said. activated SIX Mornings.
“We’re going to pick and choose, we’ve got a couple of things we want to look at from our bench point of view, I’m pretty comfortable with our starting 13, I think it’s working really well.
“We might have Reagan Campbell-Gillard back in the 13 and Benny Hunt back this week because we rested him.
“Probably a couple of players might miss out this week because I’m really looking forward to getting them (Hunt and Campbell-Gillard) involved.
“We might go for a bench forward this week to counter obviously the big forwards and the quality of New Zealand’s pack.”
The comments could mean Cherry-Evans loses his place and could have played his last game of the tournament.
“It’s no secret that they work really well together, Ben and Harry (Grant), they’ve done really well at Origin level, and they’ve done really well in the first couple of games together, they’re fit and keen to out, at this stage. I think both will play,” Meninga said.
Hunt trained in a 13-man squad with Campbell-Gillard on Tuesday, which appeared to indicate Grant would drop back to the bench.
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Yeo says Kangaroos ready for Kiwis | 01:34
Team New Zealand: tuberculosis
Advance Mail: Maguire confirmed this after New Zealand’s win over Fiji Moses Leota (hamstrings) i Maratha Niukore (pectoral) will return for the must-win showdown. Star Enforcer Jared Wire-Hargreaves he is due to return from a one-match ban, but also has a hamstring injury. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, who was listed on the reserves last week but later ruled out with a calf injury, is also expected to be available. “We’ve got pretty much a full complement coming back, I just have to check on Jared … We’ll see how he’s traveling throughout the week,” Maguire said.
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Tonga and Samoa tickle the spines! | 02:48
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England vs Samoa 1.30 AEDT, Sunday 13 November
England Team: tuberculosis
Advance Mail: To come.
Team Samoa: tuberculosis
Advance Mail: Samoa have received a huge boost for their semi-final clash against England with the captain Paulo Junior cancel a match sanction. Paulo was reported and later banned for hitting Tonga star David Fifita with a forearm to the throat in the quarter-finals. On Wednesday his appeal was successful
In the meantime, Joseph Suali — who was a standout in Samoa’s two-point win — was flagged for lifting his knees when tackled by Felise Kaufusi, but the teenager escaped with a booking.
Offense is something the 19-year-old has form for, having been served with a warning by the NRL’s match review committee for doing the same earlier this year.
“I’d be surprised if anything came of it,” Samoa coach Matt Parish said of the incident.