Kiwis News
Kearney relishing return to Hull with 2011
Kiwis
November 9, 2011
New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney has expressed excitement
at his imminent return to Hull for Saturday's do-or-die Gillette
Four Nations battle against England at the KC Stadium
(6.00pm).
The former Hull FC forward takes the Kiwis to his old
stomping ground knowing defeat will end the defending champions'
involvement in the tournament but victory will set up a showdown
with Australia in the 2011 Gillette Four Nations final at Elland
Road, Leeds, on Saturday November 19.
Kearney, a member of the Hull side that defeated Leeds
Rhinos in the 2005 Challenge Cup final in Cardiff, will lend all
his big match experience to New Zealand as they look to get the
better of the host nation - and a fervent, partisan
crowd.
"I know all about how passionate the Hull people are when
it comes to Rugby League and no doubt the atmosphere will be
something else when we kick off," said Kearney.
"I played in front of some big crowds at the KC Stadium
during my year at the club and they were always very good at making
noise.
"We had 10,000 people waiting to welcome us back when we
won the Cup in 2005 and the atmosphere that day was
electric.
"It's going to be the same this weekend but we'll be
prepared for it. Wherever we play over here we know we are going to
have the crowd against us, except when we play Australia, so the
noise won't come as a surprise.
"Hopefully there will be a few people there shouting for,
even though they'll be in the minority. That won't bother us
because the Kiwi boys love to play."
Kearney has already caught up with some of his former
team-mates from 2005, including Kirk Yeaman and Garreth Carvell,
both of whom are part of England coach Steve McNamara's squad for
Saturday.
Yeaman, who still plays for Hull FC, has played in
England's last three games while Warrington prop Carvell could
feature this weekend if James Graham and Jamie Peacock do not
recover from injuries sustained in the 36-20 defeat by Australia at
Wembley last Saturday.
"It was good to see mates like Kirk, Garreth and Peter
Lupton last week and talk about old times," added Kearney. "We all
spoke about 2005 and how we're all firmly focused on the present,
which is how it should be."
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