Unpredictability key as Munster prepares for new halves pairing
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Five-eighth Cam Munster has declared the Kangaroos halves will deploy an attacking mindset as they look to fend off a host of rival nations in the IRL Rugby League World Cup.
Australia coach Kevin Walters has named four halves in his squad for the tournament with Munster set to line up at five-eighth in Thursday's opener against New Zealand at Allianz Stadium.
Mitchell Moses has emerged as the leading contender to wear the No.7 jumper while Tom Dearden is expected to be named on the six-man bench and Sam Walker in the extended squad.
Munster heavily involved
Munster has played alongside both Dearden and Walker in the Origin arena but is yet to link up with Moses in a competitive match. They did, however, spend a month in England together on last year's Ashes tour.
With Walters likely to rotate his halves throughout the tournament, Munster said the group has the flexibility to adjust their roles depending on the lineup.
"The game has changed where your halfbacks and your five-eighths aren’t really like [the past where] your halfback is strictly the game manager and your five-eighth is supposed to be out of the ordinary and trying to create points," Munster said.
"These days, you need your game breaker as a halfback, too. You look at the way the game is played now and how fast it is, I feel halfback and five-eighth are kind of old-school terms. Anyone can wear a seven or six and play well.
"You look at your game managers like Cooper Cronk, they’re kind of weeding out now. You don’t really see a whole heap of those type of players anymore.
"You look at Sammy Walker and Isaiya Katoa, they’re running the game and also game managing too, but the game’s changed so much that even Nathan [Cleary] is now running the ball more.
"It’s exciting for the game, and hopefully I can do something special in the World Cup."
Match: Australia v New Zealand
Round 1 -
home Team
Australia
away Team
New Zealand
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
A record crowd is expected at Allianz Stadium on Thursday night with more than 40,000 fans set to cram into the Moore Park venue for a showdown between two World Cup heavyweights.
The largest attendance between the two countries at the old Sydney Football Stadium was 34,911 back in 1991, with that mark set to be shattered this week.
The crowd of 40,141 for Australia's clash with Great Britain in 1992 could also be eclipsed as excitement builds for the closest World Cup in years.
A brief history of the Rugby League World Cup
Thursday's match will feature a host of fascinating positional battles, with Munster set to line up opposite Melbourne halves partner Jahrome Hughes.
The pair combined to lead the Storm to the 2020 premiership and back-to-back grand finals in 2024 and 2025.
Given the success they've had together in clubland, Munster said Australia must put the former Dally M Medal winner under pressure early.
"Speaking about that halfback, five-eighth mould, he's a bit of both a halfback and a five-eighth," Munster said. "He's got a good running game and he's got good game management when it comes to kicking.
"We talk about the elite halves of our game and he is up there with Nathan and Sammy Walker. He's a special talent.
"It's been a while since he wore the black and white jersey so he's going to do everything he can not only for his family but also the Kiwis. We've got to be on high alert for him but we can't put so much energy into him that we forget our own game."
While Munster came away with the spoils when the pair faced off in 2019 and 2022, Hughes led New Zealand to a historic 30-0 victory over Australia in the 2023 Pacific Championships final.
The Kiwis halfback is set to play behind an imposing forward pack, with the battle up front crucial in what will likely be wet conditions on Thursday night.
Inside camp: Jahrome Hughes
With James Fisher-Harris, Naufahu Whyte, Moses Leota and Joe Tapine setting the tone up front, New Zealand are eager to dominate through the middle before letting Hughes work his magic out wide.
Should that be the case, the halfback is confident he can enjoy a victory over his Storm teammate.
"It's always weird going up against Munny," Hughes said. "We haven't played each other too many times. It's always good to go up against him.
"We train against each other a lot and you want to test yourself against the best of the best and he's definitely one of the best. It should be good going against him."
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