John Bateman admits Test matches with one ref often feel slower than NRL games
JOHN Bateman is ready to have another ‘breather’ by putting his body on the line for his country.
For the Great Britain star feels NRL matches are faster than internationals because of the extra referee.
The second-rower has already let off steam this week after being caught on camera singing while doing his ironing while wearing his cap in a hilarious online video.
Now, though, the real business starts and Bateman feels Wayne Bennett’s men can be even better against New Zealand than in the 14-6 loss to Tonga now they know each other more after lifting the lid on how little preparation time they had.
He is also adamant there is more time to catch breath than in a league game for Canberra Raiders, where they have two referees.
He revealed: “The speed of the game is a different level in the NRL because of having two referees.
“With one ref, the game is slower. Even internationals feel slower than the NRL. Everything speeds up by about two seconds, so you have to be a lot quicker.
“Before Tonga, we only had one proper training session and the captain’s run – so obviously having more time together is going to help us.
“It’s about understanding how people work. We had a totally different spine to the team with Jackson Hastings at scrum-half and a different full-back in Lachlan Coote.
“Going off that, look at how we played and we didn’t give ourselves a chance – we played into Tonga’s hands.
“We’ll need to start better, that’s one area of the game we’ll have to focus on. New Zealand can also come up with something from nothing – they have that capability throughout the team.
“Our players can’t rely on someone doing their job for them as the Kiwis will catch us out.”
Bateman has been a star in his first season Down Under, winning the NRL’s Dally M award for second rower of the year as his club narrowly lost the Grand Final to Sydney Roosters.
He is also going to take in George Williams – who becomes the Raiders’ fifth English player when he follows him from Wigan – to show him the sights and sounds of the Aussie capital.
Not bad for someone who was not exactly looking forward to heading there after reading tourist books.
“George is going to live with me for the first month and I’ll take him around,” added Bateman, 26. “I’ll show him around, as long as he does the tidying in return.
“I read about Canberra before I travelled and if you go away you want to see the sights, don’t you? But having been there, I’ve found good places to go and I love living there.”
Bateman will be up against clubmate Charnze Nicoll-Kolkstad as he lines up at Eden Park in the early hours of tomorrow.
He is bowled over by his rise from a no-one Canberra took a chance on to one of the NRL’s top players, although there will be no sympathy or love if they come together – he will be out to hammer his pal.
And Bateman told SunSport a deal to make sure they will be on the same side in future should be completed in the coming days.
He said: “My agent is going down there this week to speak with Canberra’s management to get something sorted out.
“I wasn’t really keen on that coming out in the week of the Grand Final but I’ve left it to my agent to do all of the things around it.”
GREAT BRITAIN V NEW ZEALAND TEAMS
GREAT BRITAIN: Lomax; McGillvary, Hardaker, Connor, Hall; Widdop, Hastings; Hill, Hodgson, Burgess, Bateman, Whitehead, Graham. Interchange: Jones, Philbin, Clark, Walmsley.
NEW ZEALAND: Tuivasa-Sheck; Maumalo, Nicoll-Klokstad, Manu, Isaako; Foran, Marshall; Tetevano, Smith, Waerea-Hargreaves, Nikora, Bromwich, Tapine. Interchange: Hughes, Harawira-Naera, Ah Mau, Blair.
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