Rugby League: How to defeat the Kangaroos: Steve Simms, the Halifax coach, says Great Britain must pile on the pressure

EVEN though the much-vaunted Australian rugby league tourists beat Halifax last week, our performance should have given Ellery Hanley and his Great Britain team more than a glimmer of hope before tomorrow's first Test at Wembley. These Australians are beatable.

Our first objective at Thrum Hall on Sunday was to do what no other club team have done and put the Australians under pressure for the first 30-40 minutes. We also knew that to stop them getting into any sort of rhythm our game would have to be of the highest quality. When you play a side who have so few weaknesses, the important thing is to get the basic plays right before you try anything fancy.

The first step towards beating the Australians is to have a well-planned defence. All your players must know what side of the field to be on, and the defensive line then has to work as a unit to try to stop the attack on the advantage line. When making the tackle, you should try to put the Australians on their backs to slow the play-the-ball down. If a player does manage to stand up in the tackle, the second defender then should try to smother the ball.

The two markers have a big role to play in a well-organised defence. There has to be good communication between the pair, to ensure that the first marker knows which way to chase and that the second looks after the acting half-back. And on the last tackle, the first marker must pressure the kicker.

The next key is to control your own ball well. The longer you retain possession the harder the Australian defence has to work. Receiving the ball on the advantage line with back-up players available is the secret to good attack; you're always making yards.

Then you want your ball- runners to hit the line and stand in the tackle.

This gets their defence flat-footed. A good offload to the support players, and you may be able to make a break.

We were also aware of the importance of a good kicking game. You cannot afford to put the ball straight to the likes of Brett Mullins, Wendell Sailor and Andrew Ettingshausen, as they can all make long runs downfield.

The best way to make it hard for these players is to keep putting the ball into touch, or to make sure the kick is placed away from them, so that they have to chase, then bend to pick it up. This gives your defence time to move up on them to stop their counter- attack dead.

We used all these basic plays to good effect on Sunday, especially during the first 40 minutes, being only 12-6 down at half-time. The deciding factor in the second half was probably their use of their substitutes.

After our players had toughed it out and seen off the likes of Paul Harragon and Glenn Lazarus, the Australians sent Ian Roberts and Dean Pay up front, closely followed by Greg Florimo. The fresh legs caused us problems. The Halifax players showed that if you play the right game and keep the pressure on, any team can be forced into errors.

Now it is Ellery's turn to come up with a game plan to upset the all-conquering Kangaroos. Despite the injury problems, including the almighty blow of losing Paul Newlove, Hanley has come up with a team that looks well-balanced and oozing with class.

At full-back, Jonathan Davies is one of the most elusive players around. His kicking game is one of the best: his long punts downfield turn defences; his towering 'bombs' seem to stay in the air forever, his little chips over the top come when the opponents have no cover.

On the wings lurk Jason Robinson and Martin Offiah, both of whom have the speed to score from anywhere. Robinson is dangerous running the ball out from near his line, and has the strength to break tackles. Offiah has the priceless ability to be in the right place at the right time to finish off any half-chances.

Gary Connolly, the centre, has developed into one of the finest players in the game. His ability to find holes and break through tackles can cause anyone problems, while his defence is redoutable. Alan Hunte, his centre partner, is another speedster but usually plays on the wing. He is lethal in open spaces, but he will have to be creative if he is to find them tomorrow.

At stand-off Daryl Powell, an attacking player with a good change of pace, revels in taking the ball forward.

Shaun Edwards, the captain, is one of the most experienced men on the field.

He can get his forwards running hard on to the ball and is one of the best at the backing-up game.

Now we come to the six men who will do most of the work. At loose-forward, Phil Clarke will finish the game the same as he starts - flat out. One of the fittest players around, he will always be on hand to run the ball. In defence, he will seem to be everywhere, making tackle after tackle.

Of the two second-rows, Denis Betts and Andrew Farrell, Betts has the most experience in big games. A powerful ball-runner with good hands, he will also do his share of tackling. Farrell is a big strong ball-runner with pace and will look to trouble the Australians out wide.

The big men are Karl Harrison and Chris Joynt. Harrison has already faced the Australians with Halifax and they will not be looking forward to seeing him again. He will take the ball forwards all day and give controlled offloads. Joynt usually likes to run the ball wide, but he will do the necessary close to the ruck, and his extra pace may expose some holes.

The third member of the front row, Lee Jackson, will look to make breaks from dummy-half, from where his service will play a crucial role. He also has a good short-kicking game.

Without doubt, Great Britain have more than enough players capable of turning the game. Whether they can or not is an entirely different matter.

(Photograph omitted)