Sport Rugby League World Cup final: mate against mate
1:41pm, Nov 26, 2013 Updated: 6:59pm, Nov 26
World Cup final: mate against mate
Daly Cherry-Evans will not hesitate to spill the beans on his Manly halves partner Kieran Foran if it helps Australia's bid for Rugby League World Cup glory.
Partners in crime at NRL level, Kangaroos utility Cherry-Evans and New Zealand playmaker Kieran Foran are set to oppose each other for the first time in Saturday's tournament decider at Old Trafford.
Should he keep his place on the Australian interchange bench, Cherry-Evans says it will be a thrill to play against his close friend on the sport's biggest stage.
Having combined to guide the Sea Eagles to the 2011 NRL premiership and last season's grand final, nobody in the Australian side knows more about Foran's game than Cherry-Evans.
And the 24-year-old Australian says he's willing to give his Kangaroos teammates advice and information about the Kiwi five-eighth ahead of the final.
"If that's what needs to be done, then I'm going to help my team get the result they're after," Cherry-Evans told AAP.
"Kieran's a pretty important part of their side.
"So if the boys do come to me for some advice or for some tactics to throw at him, I'll try and help them wherever possible.
"But I'll also be respecting the relationship me and Kieran have."
Cherry-Evans revealed he and Foran had started some pre-match banter by text message almost immediately after the final was locked in.
"I dare say there'll be a few more texts sent this week and when we get out there I dare say we'll enjoy it for what it's worth and have a little wink or a little elbow to the face," he joked.
"We'll have fun with it and I can't wait to cross paths with him if it does eventuate but obviously I don't want to count my chickens early as the squad hasn't been named yet."
Cherry-Evans played two games in the halves during the group stage as Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens rested Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk and the Manly star looks to have nailed down a utility spot on the bench during the finals.
"It's a different role to what I'm used to but when you're in a side full of champion players like we have here, I'm happy to sit back and take on the sort of utility role and add some form of impact when I do get a chance on the field," he said.
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