Looking forward to this game, I have got tickets and am taking a very nice girl from work who is keen to see some Aussie sport.

Loftus Road is a pretty small stadium, it's the home of Queens Park Rangers (QPR), a lower division Soccer team, and probably holds about 19,000.

I think the field will be quite restricted in size too, it is a very "close" stadium for Soccer, and they don't have Rugby League's in goals area.

I have been there a few times to see QPR, Fulham and Celtic play, when they have been visiting London.

One big advantage about Loftus Road is that it is in Shepherds Bush, where I live, and also one of the most popular spots for Aussies and Kiwis in London.

Loftus Road
http://www.euro-goal.info/euro4/england/images/stadiums/loftus%20road.jpg

http://rernes.free.fr/images/angleterre/londres/loftus-road/queensparkrangers.jpg

http://home.no.net/qprnor/BILDER/theloft.jpg

Shepherds Bush views
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~lankshear/places/ShepBush/goldhawkrd.jpg

The nearby Walkabout (notorious Aussie pub chain in the UK)
http://www.crenns.fsnet.co.uk/photos/600s_Shepherd's%20Bush%203.jpg

It's also close the BBC Television Centre
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1200000/images/_1201665_tvcentre300.jpg

todays papers in Sydney have many people critizing the aussie team for being too soft. appaerntly its not a good team compared to previous teams.
i agree

The game has sold out!

Great pics Aussie Bhoy. I seem to recall Australia playing I think it was NZ at Soccer there a few years ago??

I was at the Australia versus South Africa soccer match there at the start of the year. We won 1-0. Great night out. The English babe I'm taking from work has just told me she will be supporting NZ, due to the fact that I support whoever plays England in the soccer, so I guess that's fair enougth.

I was at the Australia versus South Africa soccer match there at the start of the year. We won 1-0. Great night out. The English babe I'm taking from work has just told me she will be supporting NZ, due to the fact that I support whoever plays England in the soccer, so I guess that's fair enougth.

You should tak eher to England v New Zealand and "support England"....

Its good to see some competitive International RL matches in front of sell out crowds.

NZ led Australia 12-8 at halftime and were still in touch till the last 20mins.
Next week Australia VS Great Britain at the Manchester Stadium.

Cul can we rename this thread to Official: Rugby League Try Nations ??

ron, you forgot to mention the score? kang32-kiwi12!

i watched most of game. Kiwis had a good first half but they always give up or not fit enough to take it the full 80mis. this is where the fitness of kangaroos always triumps!
Kangaroos are truly worlds best!

[img]http://www.sportal.com.au/photos/news/057969tn.jpg[/imf]

Roos romp home
Sportal



Australia has struck a vital blow in its Tri Nations campaign with a 32-12 victory over New Zealand in the second match of the series at Loftus Road in London.

After trailing by four points at half-time, the Kangaroos ran in four unanswered tries in the second half as skipper Darren Lockyer led the way with a best-afield performance, before being forced off the pitch with what appeared to be a recurrence of his rib injury.

The Kiwis struck first through Brent Webb, the fullback crossing in the third minute after latching on to a pass from centre Nigel Vagana.

However Webb hit the post with his conversion, the first of three misses for the half that hurt the Kiwis' chances.



When Australia managed to string some passes together, a try followed as Luke Rooney scored his third from two matches.

Craig Fitzgibbon added the extras and then landed a penalty shortly after to give the Kangaroos an 8-4 advantage in the 13th minute.

The Kiwis levelled the match after 30 minutes with a try from Lesley Vainikolo, and as half-time approached, Logan Swann set up Vinnie Anderson and the margin was 12-8 at the break.

Australia was a different side in the second half, with Lockyer crossing for the Kangaroos' second try within 90 seconds of the restart from a Craig Gower pass inside and Fitzgibbon again kicked truly.

The Australian skipper set up Willie Tonga for the Kangaroos third try and then Shaun Berrigan picked up a grubber kick from Craig Gower to add another.

While Lockyer missed the final minutes, the Kangaroos were not done as Gower set up replacement Petero Civoniceva with another grounded kick for the final try.

Australia 32
Tries:Rooney, Tonga, Civoniceva, Lockyer, Berrigan
Penalties/Conversions: Fitzgibbon 3, Lockyer 1, Berrigan 1

New Zealand 12
Tries: Webb, Vainikolo, Anderson

It was a great night out, the Kiwis were good value for their half time lead, but Australia were a different team in the second half. The English babe had a good time, and we had a few drinks before and after the game and then went out to dinner.

Sadly, it was pouring down with rain for long periods of the game. The cheer leaders did a half time show that was very raunchy, they looked like strippers. As the English babe said, you would never see that sort of thing at a soccer game in England, it would be too not PC. There was an amusing streaker in the second half, sadly it was a guy, but he stripped to the buff on a very cold night and ran the length of the field, swinging his shirt around his head. He was loudly chered by a friendly crowd, probably about 60% Aussie, 35% Kiwi and 5% Pom.

There was also an idiot that ran on and tried to tackle one of the Aussie players, he just bounced off him, the game stewards did nothing, and he ran back into the stands, everyone was booing him, as he was a goose, and then one big guy in the crowd snotted him, knocking him down about 5 rows of the stand. The stewards got involved then, throwing the pitch invader out, but leaving the vigilante be.

All in all a good night.

It was a great night out, the Kiwis were good value for their half time lead, but Australia were a different team in the second half. The English babe had a good time, and we had a few drinks before and after the game and then went out to dinner.

Sadly, it was pouring down with rain for long periods of the game. The cheer leaders did a half time show that was very raunchy, they looked like strippers. As the English babe said, you would never see that sort of thing at a soccer game in England, it would be too not PC. There was an amusing streaker in the second half, sadly it was a guy, but he stripped to the buff on a very cold night and ran the length of the field, swinging his shirt around his head. He was loudly chered by a friendly crowd, probably about 60% Aussie, 35% Kiwi and 5% Pom.

There was also an idiot that ran on and tried to tackle one of the Aussie players, he just bounced off him, the game stewards did nothing, and he ran back into the stands, everyone was booing him, as he was a goose, and then one big guy in the crowd snotted him, knocking him down about 5 rows of the stand. The stewards got involved then, throwing the pitch invader out, but leaving the vigilante be.

All in all a good night.

Yeah but, did the English bird come over for "coffee"?

lol

HAHAHA

are u going to the Aus VS Great Britain Aussieboy?

Hows the ticket sales for that? It will be good to see how GB shape up. i heard they have some impressive youngsters.

Hey guys, a gentleman never tells. We are going out again this weekend as well, I seem to be cursed in my life that I only meet wonderful girls after I make plans to leave somewhere, this is the 3rd time it has happened.

Anyway, I won't be going to any of the other games, they are all up north. I'm glad I got to see the Kangaroos play over here, although it would have been better seeing them beat the poms.

Ticket sales are going pretty well according to the RFL website, but it's not sold out yet. The Poms are pretty confident of getting a result against Australia, and they definitely think they will beat the Kiwis. They feel they only lost very narrowly last year, and have pegged the gap. Also they think if Morley hadn't been sent off, they would have won the first game, and the series would have been different.

Well its good to see a competitive tri series... well so far it is. Lets hope it stays that way!

The kangaroos are also headed off to the USA to verse the tomahawks sometime in the next few months. That should be interesting!

on ya rooney!

http://www.sportal.com.au/photos/news/058261tn.jpg

Last-gasp Luke
Sportal



A last-minute Luke Rooney try has lifted Australia to a stunning 12-8 win over Great Britain and into the Tri-Nations final.

It was a dramatic victory as the Kangaroos fought back from a 0-8 deficit in the 33rd minute, starting with a Willie Mason four-pointer in the final minute of the first half.

Rooney squared the ledger ten minutes into the second 40 and, after both sides went agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock as field-goal attempts hit both crossbars, the Australians opted to keep the ball alive on the last in the 79th minute.

Brett Kimmorley shaped for another shot at goal but, as the defence closed in, he went left and Anthony Minichiello ran across field to link up with Willie Tonga and Rooney, who raced for the corner to score his fifth try in just three internationals.


The home side had an outstanding first half at City of Manchester Stadium, starting with resolute defence under the concerted pressure of four successive sets in the opening ten minutes of the match.

The Kangaroos best chance was foiled by Paul Wellens, who made a crucial clearance from a Craig Gower grubber kick to prevent Matt Sing from scoring in the corner.

But then Great Britain scored a sensational try, as Paul Sculthorpe put Jamie Peacock through a gap, he found Terry Newton who sent Martin Gleeson over to finish off the 70-metre move.

Despite some probing attacks by the Aussies, the Lions' defence again stood firm for the next 20 minutes before another brilliant break resulted in a try.

This time Irish winger Brian Carney left Tonga grasping at thin air and then backed himself to outsprint Minichiello, just getting the ball down in the right corner.

Again British skipper Andy Farrell missed the conversion attempt, but the home side looked in command at 8-0.

With the half-time hooter only seconds away, Mason took it open himself to lift the tourists, charging through the defence 15 metres out and barrelling Wellens on the line to make it 4-8.

Although Kimmorley missed his shot at the extra two points, the Kangaroos went to the break feeling much better about the state of the game.

Ten minutes after the resumption, Craig Gower stood in a tackle and offloaded to Tonga, who set Minichiello clear and the Roosters fullback threaded a pass to Rooney, who did the rest. Kimmorley again missed the conversion to leave the scores tied at 8-8.

Great Britain almost retook the lead with 15 minutes to play when Sculthorpe's field-goal attempt was just touched by Nathan Hindmarsh, causing the ball to die on its way to the sticks, and it hit the bottom of the crossbar.

Seven minutes later Kimmorley's field-goal shot crashed into the crossbar and bounced back into the field of play, then Lion Sean Long took his shot, which went wide.

Kimmorley tried again from 30 metres with about four minutes left, but that shot sailed wide and then Farrell missed another attempt to score what would have been the winning point as the clock ticked over to 79 minutes.

Australia 12
Tries: Mason (39th minute), Rooney (50th), Rooney (79th)

Great Britain 8
Tries: Gleeseon (13th), Carney (33rd)

Would've been good to have actually caught this one. I guess it was to early in the morning anyway?

Anyways seems like another tight contest. The Tri Series is alive and well. It will be good to see who wins between the Kiwis and the Poms next week!!!

You should tak eher to England v New Zealand and "support England"....

Its Great Britain Lions, not England, they are the union side.

I'm a Kangaroos supporter but I will still get up early and watch the Great Britain V New Zealand match, it should be a screamer. This is a great competition. I hope it is well attended when it comes downunder in the next series. Lookout, League is on the way back!!!!

I think Internationals in Australia need to be decentralised (the ARL is heading this way). Split games between Brisbane, Sydney, Newcastle and Townsville.

They are guaranteed a full house at the last two, and whilst the days of capacity crowds at league internationals seem dead in the big cities it's good to see the sport surviving in Britain. 38,500 must be a full house at Manchester Stadium? They could pack in 65,000 up the road so why the change, better facilities? Guaranteed full house?

lions too good for kiwis.
http://www.sportal.com.au/photos/news/058555news.jpg

Great Britain scored three second-half tries to kill off New Zealand's challenge in the Tri-Nations with a 22-12 victory in Huddersfield.

Terry Newton crossed once and Stuart Reardon touched down twice within eight minutes as the home fans delighted the crowd and stunned the Kiwis who slumped to their third successive defeat in the series.

Andy Farrell and Iestyn Harris (twice) were also on target with the boot in the final 10 minutes, ensuring Great Britain earned its first victory of the series.

The first half belonged to the Kiwis with Sonny Bill Williams leading the way as the men in black stormed to a 12-2 lead at half-time.



Williams was a class above the rest, producing some magnificent off loads in the opening 20 minutes and tackling like a man possessed as the Lions' defence battled valiantly against the Kiwis' kicking game.

Against the run of play, the Lions put the first score on the board when Farrell kicked truly after Ruben Wiki was penalised for holding in the tackle after 10 minutes.

Williams was instrumental in the Kiwis' first try, passing to winger Shontayne Hape who released Ali Lauititi for the score.

Brent Webb was accurate with the conversion and made no mistake again shortly after when he was given a second opportunity.

Hooker Louis Anderson somehow found Williams who took the ball, broke two tackles and dived across for the second try.

The Lions were a different side after the break and, after opting not to take a gettable penalty, earned their first try through Newton, which Sculthorpe converted.

While the Kiwis continued to threaten in attack, the Lions drew level when Reardon crossed over in the corner.

Danny McGuire found some space shortly after, rounding three Kiwi defenders before releasing Reardon again for his second try.

While the New Zealand challenge never let up, Lions skipper Farrell gave the home side some breathing space with his penalty kick in the 72nd minute before Harris sealed the win.

Great Britain 22
Tries: Reardon 2, Newton
Penalties/Conversions: Farrell, Harris 2, Sculthorpe

New Zealand 12
Tries: Lauititi, Williams
Penalties/Conversions: Webb 2

But the big game lies ahead to next Saturday at Elland rd, Leeds and GB repeat the efforts of 2 weeks ago and make themselves proud winners of the inaugral Tri Nations? I roody hope so! C'mon Britain!"

http://www.sportal.com.au/photos/news/059188tn.jpg

Kangaroos overcome France

Skipper Darren Lockyer has made a successful return from a rib injury and led Australia to a 52-30 victory over France in a tour match at Stade Ernest Wallon.

Lockyer, who spent four weeks on the sidelines with a recurring rib injury, scored a try and four conversions and helped stave off what could have been a remarkable upset.

The Kangaroos had to come back from a 16-6 deficit midway through the first half to take a 28-16 lead into the break. They scored three late tries to seal the victory.

Led by Australian coach Mick Aldous, Maxime Gresseque was brilliant for the French, helping the side race away with three tries in the opening 20 minutes.



He set up the first try with a deft pass to prop Adel Fellous and a precise kick saw the second at the hands of second-rower Jamal Fakir.

Greseque scored the third himself to put France up 16-0. Jason Ryles managed a reply for Australia before Lockyer dragged the Kangaroos back into the match.

Matt Cooper crossed in the 26th minute and moments later Lockyer passed to Craig Fitzgibbon for the try and converted to level the scores.

In the final four minutes of the half Lockyer combined with Brent Tate twice to give Australia a handy 12-point half-time lead.

The French were not willing the simply lay down and attacked as soon as they returned to the field.

Winger Frederic Zitter added to their score when he crossed in the 48th minute after Matt Bowen and Cooper bungled a Greseque bomb.

Tonie Carroll was quick to reply, scoring almost immediately after the kick-off to make it 34-20.

France kept attacked and Zitter scored his second in the 62nd minute to narrow the gap to 10 points and centre Damien Couturier raced 50 metres in the 67th minute to set up a thrilling finale.

But the French couldn't run out the match and faded in the final minutes allowing Petero Civoniceva, Fitzgibbon and Ben Kennedy to score majors and seal the victory for Australia.

Australia 52
Tries: Fitzgibbon 2, Ryles, Cooper, Tate, Lockyer, Carroll, Civoniceva, Kennedy
Penalties/Conversions: Lockyer, Fitzgibbon

France 30
Tries: Zitter 2, Fellous, Fakir, Greseque, Couturier
Penalties/Conversions: Greseque 3

But the big game lies ahead to next Saturday at Elland rd, Leeds and GB repeat the efforts of 2 weeks ago and make themselves proud winners of the inaugral Tri Nations? I roody hope so! C'mon Britain!"
lol. nah i reckon kangaroos will beat em. even with lowest standard side we,ve had a for years.

australia nearly got upset by the french who were still in it with 20mins to go

final score 52-30

lol, we were just toying with them.practise run.
wait til next week.

Good too see RL starting to recover again in France. A crowd of 10,000 watched the Test. That may not compare to the glory days of the 50's and 60's but given Leagues treatment by the government and other codes in years gone by it's a wonder the game still exists at all.

lol. nah i reckon kangaroos will beat em. even with lowest standard side we,ve had a for years.

Just like the lowest standard side that nearly got sh1t on by France? :D

go GB!!

^ exactly. we are missing way to many players. i can just imagine if Andrew Johns was playing. Australia havent been playing any good this tour but they will step up to the plate tommorrow morning and show why there the best rugby league side in the world!!

I think it's a bit harsh on the Aussie and British teams to say the Kangaroos are the lowest standard team for years. Well I've been watching both rugby codes for over 20 years.And from where I'm sitting (usually the couch) the British league team has to be the strongest and fittest I have ever seen and our Wallaby side is the weakest we have fielded for years especially in the forwards. But having said that, go the Aussies in both games this weekend!!

well looks like the kangaroos once again showed the gulf in class between australia and great britain winning 44 - 4 this morning after leading 38 - 0 at half time. better luck next time lads :cheers:

yes twas a great game.i woke up to watch it. kangaroos really gave it to them in first half leading 38-blot.
forwards just to strong and our defence was awesome.the 2nd half was a bit slower not much happened.
Ray price a former co-international, ex parra player said we will loose both games this weekend- wallabies and kangarros. he has no faith in us and should shut up.
wayne bennent is a ledgend. he really knows how to deal with these situations.
on ya boys