Rugby League World Cup: New Zealand 'know what they have to do' in Australia semi-final

New Zealand coach Michael Maguire says his side have "definitely got a lot more in us" as they prepare to face Australia in the World Cup semi-finals.

The Kiwis came into the tournament as the world's number-one ranked team.

But Maguire's side had to come from behind to claim a late 24-18 win over Fiji in the quarter-finals.

"We learned a lot from that," said Maguire. "It was actually a good game for us because it took us to a place we probably haven't been to before."

Fiji led 12-0 in the first half and 18-6 in the second, before Jordan Rapana's penalty gave New Zealand the lead for the first time with nine minutes left.

"It was nice to see the players were able to come back and show the resilience that we had spoken about," said former Wigan Warriors coach Maguire.

"The players had to regroup and recalibrate what we are about and I thought their composure throughout the game and the way they've grown, especially over the time we've been together, really shone.

"I do believe it's going to be good for us but it's up to us to utilise that moving forward.

"We've definitely got a lot more in us but I've seen passages of play where I've been really pleased. What better time to make sure we give it our best game, a semi-final against Australia?"

'We know what we have to do'

Friday's game in Leeds is the first World Cup meeting between the trans-Tasman rivals since the 2013 final at Old Trafford, when Australia won 34-2.

Fiji upset New Zealand in the 2017 quarter-finals before losing to Australia, who defended their title with a 6-0 win over England in the final.

But in Maguire's second match in charge of New Zealand in 2018, the Kiwis beat Australia 26-24 in Auckland to halt the Kangaroos' 13-game winning run and hand Mal Meninga his first defeat as coach.

"I believe I've got a very strong team," said Australian Maguire.

"Australia are the title holders, they've got that status at the moment, but we know what we have to do to achieve what we want."

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Australia have had a comfortable passage to the last four, beating Lebanon 48-4 last time out, and Canterbury Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr needs one more try to equal the tournament record of 12 set by team-mate Valentine Holmes in 2017.

New Zealand are without veteran front rower Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, who served a one-match ban only to pick up a hamstring injury in training, but prop Moses Leota, who helped Penrith Panthers win the NRL Grand Final, is available again.

The 27-year-old was set to play in the Kiwis' opening match against Lebanon before picking up a groin injury in the team's final training session and he sustained a pectoral strain in their next game against Jamaica.

Australia squad

Josh Addo-Carr, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Patrick Carrigan, Daly Cherry-Evans, Nathan Cleary, Reuben Cotter, Angus Crichton, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Harry Grant, Valentine Holmes, Ben Hunt, Liam Martin, Latrell Mitchell, Cameron Munster, Cameron Murray, James Tedesco, Jake Trbojevic, Jack Wighton, Isaah Yeo.

New Zealand squad

Jesse Bromwich, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Kenny Bromwich, Dylan Brown, James Fisher-Harris, Kieran Foran, Peta Hiku, Jahrome Hughes, Moses Leota, Isaac Liu, Joseph Manu, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Briton Nikora, Isaiah Papali'i, Jordan Rapana, Brandon Smith, Joseph Tapine, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.

Referee: Ashley Klein. Video referee: Chris Kendall.

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