New Zealand captain Benji Marshall just a match way from milestone
Benji Marshall, New Zealand’s skipper, is just a match way from accomplishing the milestone of being the longest serving Kiwi, which he wishes to accomplish before the wrap up of the Gillette Four Nations Campaign 2011.
This will be the 17th time that the Kiwis captain will take his side in contention with England at Hull, which is the eliminator of the Four Nations. The result of the match will determine which side will clash against Australia in the final
at Elland Road in Leeds, next week.
This weekend’s game is already gaining popularity because either side of the eliminator showdown is equally hungry for the win. The thirst for win is explainable too because loss at this stage means the end of Four Nations Campaign which is definitely not
on the cards for either side.
According to the sales figures revealed by the sources, already over 20,000 tickets have been sold out, which means that amid packed houses, England and New Zealand will put up their struggle for the final berth. This has been acknowledged as a huge factor
in hastening English to clinch their spot for the Final showdown, which may also have a flip side to it.
If England are playing well, the huge fan-support will urge them to perform even better and will act as a thrust to outdo the opposition in every possible way. On the contrary, if England is unable to match up to the required mark, the same crowd will pressure
the players who may crumble under their intimidating presence.
Marshall has been acknowledged as the only threat which England has to watch out for if they wish to tread into the final clash against Australia. This was confirmed by Chris Heighington, the English forward, who identified Marshall as the only hurdle between
their win in the Gillette Four Nations’ eliminator this Saturday against New Zealand.
Marshall has 24 caps to his credit, who reigned in as captain for the first time to play against England in 2008 World Cup, which ended in their favour.
If Kiwis manage to tread into the final, the 26-year-old will draw level with Mark Graham and Ruben Wiki of New Zealand.
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