Game V: Great Britain v New Zealand
and Australia v France

Well the Poms find themselves in a frightful spot of bother here. After consecutive losses they once again front up to the Kiwis in desperate circumstances. It?s also quite a paradoxical state of affairs for their administration, who kindly booked the New Zealand team on a flight home prior to the completion of the tournament as they didn?t envisage that they would feature in the final.

Right now, New Zealand contesting the Tri-Nations trophy with Australia appears to be the one constant in the equation, with Britain requiring two very healthy victories over the visiting nations to even feature in the suggestions of ?mathematical possibilities?.

But the Brits are taking a step in the right direction. It appears, finally, that halfback Richard Horne will get a run after several false starts. This will probably be the only change to the line-up that went down 20-6 in tough, dour circumstances against Australia last week.

Adding further spice to the halfback merry-go-round that has been an enthralling sub-plot to this year?s tournament, Kiwi Motu Tony is firming as the favoured number seven after preferred scrum feeder Lance Hohaia withdrew through injury. At this stage Tony, who had a brief stint at Brisbane in 2004, has the inside running on Bradford?s Robbie Paul.

As the news began to filter through it was met with one-upmanship by the Australians, who decided to declare five-eighth and captain Darren Lockyer unfit to continue the tour and he was ordered to return home. Not wishing to feel left out, Trent Barrett developed a ?mysterious? foot condition, just as it appeared he had finally regained the number six jersey he so dearly coveted.

With Wayne Bennett refusing to call up the likes of Shane Rigon from the English Super League, Craig Wing was forced to make a mercy dash from Hawaii to slot in at hooker for the game against France as Danny Buderus had already raised his hand for a rostered week off. It remained unclear, however, whether Wing would be allowed to play in his surfer garb as the match was to be recognised as an official Test. Foreseeing the impending horror, Craig?s old man was last seen at the Bondi Junction Express Post Box mailing his son?s uniform. But hey, we all know how bad Australia Post is?

I thought the Brits did well last week but lacked the killer punch to put Australia away. But I see them as a team with room for improvement, and New Zealand as a team who has already over-achieved. If the weather is reasonable and the Poms turn up to play, I think they can sneak a victory against the Kiwis who may have lost some momentum after a meek victory over England only a few days ago.

As for the Aussies, well let?s hope they turn up against the Frogs. John Monie is coaching the Tre-Colour and from all reports is doing a fine job. He?ll hope they can start the same way they did last time, by scoring the opening three tries of the match and making the Aussies work for the win. I doubt the French will come close though, with newly appointed captain Craig Gower sure to push his claims to be the starting stand-off ahead of Barrett as the Aussies use this game to prepare for their final stoush against the Old Dart in a week.