IT'S MIDDAY. TENSIONS RISE AT THE US BORDER. THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN ARE SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES AS THE WHITE HOUSE CRACKS DOWN ON ILLEGAL MIGRANTS. BACK HERE, AMID THE THREAT OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION, A NEW REPORT'S FOUND PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS ARE EARNING MORE THAN PRIVATE EMPLOYEES. AND IT'S THE BEST START FROM ANY HOST NATION IN THE HISTORY OF THE TOURNAMENT; RUSSIA MOVE TO THE BRINK OF QUALIFYING TO THE SECOND ROUND AFTER BEATING EGYPT IN THE WORLD CUP. CAPTIONS BY SHRUTIKA GUNANAYAGAM AND ALEX WALKER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018 AHIAHI MARIE. GOOD AFTERNOON. U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS REITERATED HIS PROMISE TO RID AMERICA OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND ACCUSED DEMOCRATS OF WANTING THEM TO 'INFEST' HIS COUNTRY. IT FOLLOWS OUTCRY AGAINST THE WAY IMMIGRANT CHILDREN ARE BEING SEPARATED FROM THEIR PARENTS AND PUT IN HOLDING CELLS AT THE BORDER WITH MEXICO. THE ABC'S GIO BENITEZ HAS THE LATEST. TONIGHT FROM THE SKY ` A SWEEPING VIEW OF THE ISOLATED TEXAS TENT CITY HUNDREDS OF MIGRANT CHILDREN NOW CALL HOME. IN THESE IMAGES, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THEM WALKING SINGLE FILE THROUGH THE CAMP. THEY SLEEP IN TENTS LIKE THESE, AT LEAST 20 BEDS PACKED IN. TONIGHT CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION TOLD ABC NEWS THAT IN JUST A MONTH... 'FOX NEWS' HOST LAURA INGRAHAM DREW OUTRAGE BY COMPARING THE DETENTION FACILITIES TO SUMMER CAMPS. SINCE MORE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE RUSHING THE BORDER, MORE KIDS ARE BEING SEPARATED FROM THEIR PARENTS AND ARE TEMPORARILY HOUSED IN WHAT ARE ESSENTIALLY SUMMER CAMPS. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TIGHTLY CONTROLS THE IMAGES COMING OUT OF THE CENTRES WHERE MANY OF THEM ARE BEING HELD ` THE METAL CAGES, THE CHILDREN SPRAWLED ON THIN MATTRESSES, HUDDLING UNDER MYLAR SHEETS. PROPUBLICA OBTAINED THIS AUDIO RECORDING, WHICH IT SAYS CAPTURES THEIR FRIGHTENED CRIES. (CHILDREN CRY, MAN SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, CHILDREN FIND THEMSELVES SEPARATED FROM THEIR PARENTS AN AVERAGE OF 57 DAYS, BUT FOR SOME KIDS, IT'S A LOT LONGER. THIS MICHIGAN COUPLE FOSTERS A BOY (10) WHO HAS BEEN LIVING WITH THEM SINCE HE WAS SEPARATED FROM HIS FATHER EIGHT MONTHS AGO. WOMAN: HIS FATHER WAS (CLEARS THROAT) THEN TAKEN AWAY IN WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS HANDCUFFS BEHIND HIS BACK, AND OUR BOY WAS DETAINED FOR 24 HOURS IN A DETENTION FACILITY. BUT WHEN HE CAME TO US, HE WAS EXTRAORDINARILY FEARFUL. HE WAS AFRAID TO EAT; HE WAS AFRAID TO LOOK. HIS CLOTHES WERE SOILED. HE WOULDN'T USE THE BATHROOM. HIS FATHER HAS BEEN DEPORTED BACK TO GUATEMALA, BUT THE BOY IS STILL HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, SEPARATED FROM HIS PARENTS, ABLE TO SPEAK TO HIS MOTHER ONLY BY PHONE. IN TEXAS, SCENES LIKE THIS ` WE'RE NOT DISCOURAGING ANYONE FROM ENTERING; WE JUST CANNOT AT THIS TIME. FAMILIES BEING TURNED AWAY, NO ROOM. MEANWHILE, THE US HAS PULLED OUT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, SAYING IT'S 'HYPOCRITICAL AND SELF-SERVING'. THE WHITE HOUSE HAS LONG THREATENED TO QUIT IF THE GENEVA-BASED BODY WASN'T REFORMED AND CLAIMS THE ORGANISATION IS 'ANTI-ISRAEL'. THE GROUP HAS BEEN CRITICISED IN THE PAST FOR ALLOWING COUNTRIES WITH QUESTIONABLE HUMAN RIGHTS TO JOIN. THE U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER HAS SAID THE NEWS IS DISAPPOINTING BUT NOT SURPRISING. WE'VE SEEN THE REPORTS. SOME OF THE WROST HUMAN RIGHTS OFFENDERS SIT ON THE COUNCIL BACK HERE, ORANGA TAMARIKI'S CEO HAS APOLOGISED FOR USING TRADE ME TO ADVERTISE FOR FOSTER CARERS AND SHARING DETAILS OF CHILDREN, AND IT'S NOW TAKEN THE AD DOWN. THE MINISTER FOR CHILDREN, TRACEY MARTIN, AGREED IT WAS THE WRONG PLACE TO ADVERTISE BUT SAYS THERE IS A STRICT SCREENING PROCESS IN PLACE. I THINK IT'S AGREED... THAT IT PROBABLY ISN'T THE MOST APPROPRIATE WEBSITE TO ADVERTISE FOR CAREGIVERS FOR OUR CHILDREN. THE CONCERNS WERE RAISED BY A NATIONAL MP. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DIAGNOSED WITH HIV HAS DROPPED FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2011. LAST YEAR, 197 KIWIS WERE DIAGNOSED ` 50 FEWER THAN 2016. THE NEW ZEALAND AIDS FOUNDATION SAYS WHILE IT'S ENCOURAGING, A SIMILAR DECREASE HAS BEEN SEEN BEFORE, AND MORE FUNDING IS NEEDED FOR FUTURE STUDIES. TWO MEN ARE IN HOSPITAL AFTER BEING STABBED IN AN ALLEGED ROBBERY IN AUCKLAND LAST NIGHT. TWO MALE OFFENDERS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE ENTERED THE GREY LYNN DAIRY WITH A KNIFE BEFORE FIGHTING WITH THE MAN BEHIND THE COUNTER. ONE MAN WAS INITIALLY IN A CRITICAL CONDITION, WHILE THE OTHER WAS SERIOUS. THEY'RE BOTH NOW IN A STABLE CONDITION. BOTH OFFENDERS FLED THE SCENE. A BAG OF METH HAS BEEN FOUND IN THE CHILDREN'S WARD AT WHANGAREI HOSPITAL. A WOMAN WHO IS STAYING AT THE HOSPITAL WITH HER SICK BABY FOUND IT IN THE CORRIDOR BEFORE LAYING A COMPLAINT WITH MANAGEMENT. NORTHLAND DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD SAY THEY'RE INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT. MANY PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS ARE THREATENING STRIKE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO LOW PAY. BUT IN A NEW REPORT RELEASED TODAY, LOBBY GROUP THE TAXPAYERS' UNION ARE CLAIMING THESE WORKERS ARE ACTUALLY EARNING MORE THAN THEIR PRIVATE SECTOR COUNTERPARTS. ONE UNION HAS RUBBISHED THE REPORT, SAYING THE TWO SECTORS CAN'T BE COMPARED. KATIE STEVENSON REPORTS. NURSES THIS WEEK REFUSED A REVISED PAY OFFER FROM DHBs, WITH THE GOVERNMENT SAYING THERE'S NO MORE MONEY IN THE POT. THEY'RE CONSIDERING STRIKE ACTION, AND PUBLIC SERVANTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE DOING THE SAME TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS OVER PAY. BUT THE TAXPAYERS' UNION HAVE ANALYSED PAY PACKETS AND SAY PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS ARE ACTUALLY BETTER OFF THAN THOSE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THIS IS THE PREMIUM THAT YOU GET IF YOU'RE WORKING FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR, AS OPPOSED TO IF YOU'RE WORKING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. WE'VE FOUND THAT IF YOU'RE WORKING FOR THE GOVERNMENT, YOU ESSENTIALLY EARN ON AVERAGE ABOUT A THIRD MORE THAN A PRIVATE SECTOR WORKER. BUT CRUCIALLY, THIS GAP HAS ACTUALLY ALMOST DOUBLED SINCE THE EARLY '90s. NOW, THIS IS DESPITE WHAT THE UNIONS WOULD TELL US ABOUT CUTBACKS IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE. THE RESEARCH FOUND PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS EARN ON AVERAGE 34.6% MORE THAN THE AVERAGE PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYEE. BUT THE PUBLIC SERVICE ASSOCIATION DISAGREES WITH THE FIGURES, SAYING THEY'VE BEEN AVERAGED OUT AND DON'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DIVERSE WORKFORCE. THE PUBLIC SERVICE HAS FAR FEWER CASUAL AND TEMPORARY STAFF, PART-TIME STAFF THAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THEY HAVE FAR HIGHER PROPORTIONS OF WORKERS WHO DO HAVE QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING, AND SO THE WORKFORCES ARE QUITE DIFFERENT. AND OVER TIME, THE MIX IN THAT WORKFORCE HAS CHANGED. SO IT'S LIKE COMPARING APPLES AND ORANGES, AND SO THAT JUST DOESN'T CUT IT. THE UNION DOES CONCEDE SOME PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS HAVE JUSTIFIED CONCERNS BUT DOESN'T BELIEVE THEY APPLY TO EVERYONE. PEOPLE IN NURSING AND TEACHING ` THEY HAVE WHAT WE CALL A LEGITIMATE CASE FOR SOME OF THESE HIGHER PAY RATES ` NOT SO MUCH BECAUSE OF EDUCATION BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE STAFFING ISSUES INVOLVED. THEY NEED MORE FUNDS TO ATTRACT MORE TALENT. HOWEVER, OUR CONCERN IS WITH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS MBIE AND THE IRD ` WHO ARE CURRENTLY CONSIDERING STRIKE ACTION ` NOW, THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME ISSUE IN ATTRACTING STAFF. KATIE STEVENSON, 1 NEWS. TO BRITAIN, AND THE GOVERNMENT WILL REVIEW THE MEDICINAL USE OF CANNABIS, WHICH COULD LEAD TO PATIENTS BRING PRESCRIBED DRUGS DERIVED FROM THE PLANT. THE ANNOUNCEMENT FOLLOWS APPEALS FROM PARENTS WHO WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO HAVE ACCESS TO MEDICINES THAT CAN ALLEVIATE THEIR SYMPTOMS. THE BBC'S LUCY MANNING REPORTS. ALFIE DINGLEY (6) HAS HIS GOOD DAYS, BUT HIS SEVERE EPILEPSY MEANS MANY SEIZURES. BUT ALFIE HAS A MOTHER PREPARED TO TAKE ON ANYONE TO HELP HER SON AND GET THE CANNABIS OIL THAT IMPROVES HIS SYMPTOMS. WE MET THE PRIME MINISTER. SHE LOOKED ME IN THE EYE, AND SHE SAID TO ME, 'WE WILL HELP YOU,' AND SHE MET MY CHILD. AND I FEEL NOW, HAVING GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH, THAT HAVE I BEEN PLAYED? YOU KNOW, I'M A MOTHER OF A VERY SICK CHILD. AND WAS IT ALL A STUNT? THAT MEETING WAS MONTHS AGO. JUST HOURS AFTER ALFIE'S MUM SPOKE OUT TODAY, FROM THE GOVERNMENT ` IMMEDIATE HELP FOR ALFIE AND A WIDER REVIEW THAT COULD SEE MEDICAL CANNABIS LEGALISED IN THE UK. I'M VERY OVERWHELMED. FOR ME, THAT IS JUST LIFE-CHANGING, AND FOR HIM, IT IS LIFE-CHANGING. I KNOW NOW THAT HE WON'T EVER HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN, AND FOR ME, AS HIS MOTHER, THAT IS JUST AN AMAZING THING TO FEEL. BILLY CALDWELL'S MUM HAS ALSO BEEN FIGHTING FOR HER SON TO GET CANNABIS OIL. COMMON SENSE AND THE POWER OF MOTHERS AND FATHERS OF SICK CHILDREN HAS BUST THE POLITICAL PROCESS WIDE OPEN. MEDICAL CANNABIS OIL CONTAINS TWO COMPOUNDS FOUND IN CANNABIS. IN THE UK, IT'S LICENSED TO TREAT MS BUT, UNTIL NOW, NOT EPILEPSY. IT IS LEGAL IN 26 OTHER COUNTRIES. THEY'RE LIVING WITH THE SAME FEAR THAT WE LIVED WITH FOR 16 YEARS ` THAT EPILEPSY COULD TAKE OUR SON, AND IT DID. AND I DON'T WANT ANYBODY... ELSE IN THAT POSITION. IT'S A HORRENDOUS THING TO GO THROUGH. FOR ALFIE'S PARENTS AND ALL THE OTHER CHILDREN, THERE IS, AT LAST, HOPE. AND IN THE LAST HALF HOUR, CANADA HAS PASSED A LAW LEGALISING THE RECREATIONAL USE OF MARIJUANA NATIONWIDE. CANADIANS WILL BE ABLE TO BUY AND CONSUME THE DRUG LEGALLY AS EARLY AS SEPTEMBER. MORE THAN A HUNDRED PEOPLE ARE MISSING AFTER A FERRY SANK ON A LAKE IN INDONESIA. 18 SURVIVORS HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM ROUGH WATERS ON LAKE TOBA, A POPULAR TOURIST SPOT AND ONE OF THE DEEPEST LAKES IN THE WORLD. THE FERRY WAS LICENSED TO CARRY 60 PEOPLE, BUT THERE WERE AROUND 130 ON BOARD. NORTH-KOREAN LEADER KIM JONG-UN HAS TRAVELLED TO BEIJING TO MEET CHINESE LEADER XI JINPING FOLLOWING KIM'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP. IT'S NOT KNOWN WHAT THE TWO LEADERS DISCUSSED, BUT MANY EXPECT IT TO BE SANCTIONS AND MR KIM'S COMMITMENT TO DENUCLEARISING NORTH KOREA. AT THE SAME TIME, THE U.S. AND SOUTH KOREA HAVE CONFIRMED THEY HAVE STOPPED PLANNING FOR THEIR NEXT JOINT MILITARY DRILL. A SIXTH KAURI-DIEBACK-DISEASE SITE HAS BEEN DISCOVERED ON THE COROMANDEL PENINSULA. THE WAIKATO REGIONAL COUNCIL HAS CONFIRMED THE SITE IN TAIRUA ` IN A FOREST ON A PRIVATE PROPERTY ` WAS FOUND AFTER AN AERIAL SURVEY WAS CARRIED OUT. THE DISEASE HAD ALREADY BEEN FOUND IN HUKARAHI, NEAR WHITIANGA, AND IN THE WHANGAPOUA FOREST. A SURVEY LOOKING AT BIRD ACTIVITY IN OUR BACKYARDS HAS REVEALED GREENFINCH NUMBERS HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED IN THE LAST DECADE. THE ANNUAL 'GARDEN BIRD SURVEY' LOOKS AT MORE THAN 30,000 BACKYARDS NATIONWIDE, AND WHILST SOME BIRD NUMBERS HAVE BOLSTERED, THE SILVEREYE HAS DECLINED BY MORE THAN 40%, WHICH RESEARCHERS SAY IS LIKELY DUE TO THE WARMER CLIMATE. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` HAVING TROUBLE DOZING OFF AT NIGHT? YOUR GENDER COULD BE THE REASON. NEW RESEARCH FROM AUSTRALIA'S FOUND WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER SLEEP ISSUES THAN MEN. AND IT'S A PARTY ATMOSPHERE FOR WORLD CUP HOSTS RUSSIA. THEY'RE ON THE EDGE OF QUALIFYING FOR THE SECOND ROUND AFTER A 3-1 WIN OVER EGYPT. WE COULD ALL USE A LITTLE MORE SLEEP, BUT IT TURNS OUT SOME OF US ARE WORSE OFF THAN OTHERS WHEN IT COMES TO HITTING THE HAY. A NEW STUDY'S FOUND WOMEN ARE 20% MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER FROM SLEEP PROBLEMS THAN MEN. CHANNEL NINE'S SOPHIE WALSH HAS THE STORY. ERIN NORMOYLE HASN'T HAD A DECENT NIGHT'S SLEEP IN ALMOST TWO DECADES. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I HAVEN'T SLEPT AT ALL IN FOUR DAYS. I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF PEOPLE THOUGHT I HAD BIPOLAR, BECAUSE I'M EITHER MANIC FROM EXHAUSTION OR JUST ZOMBIE. SHE'S THE ONE IN SIX AUSTRALIAN ADULTS THAT SUFFER FROM INSOMNIA. I'VE TRIED MEDICATION. I'VE TRIED MEDITATION. ALL SORTS OF CRAZY DEVICES. THE FACT ERIN'S A WOMAN MAKES HER MORE PRONE TO TOSSING AND TURNING. A NEW STUDY BY THE SLEEP HEALTH FOUNDATION HAS FOUND WOMEN ARE 20% MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER THAN MEN. WOMEN OFTEN HAVE THE MOTHERING ROLE, AND SO ARE MORE PRONE TO WAKING DURING THE NIGHT AS PART OF THAT PARENTING ROLE. THEN LATER IN LIFE, MENOPAUSE TRIGGERS HORMONE CHANGES WHICH CAN ALSO MAKE IT HARDER TO GET SOME SHUT-EYE. THE RESEARCH HAS ALSO FOUND THE BRAIN DOESN'T SLEEP AS ONE UNIT; IT SLEEPS AS A NUMBER OF SUB-UNITS. SO YOU CAN HAVE PARTS OF THE BRAIN BEHAVING LIKE YOU'RE AWAKE WHILE OTHER PARTS ARE BEHAVING LIKE YOU'RE ASLEEP. SO TREATMENT IS NOW FOCUSING ON FINDING BETTER WAYS TO GET THE BRAIN TO SWITCH OFF. TAKING THE FOCUS OFF SLEEP SOMETIMES AND GETTING THAT FOCUS MORE ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING DURING THE DAY, PAYING ATTENTION TO NERVOUS ENERGY AND STRESS LEVELS AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE MANAGING THAT, BECAUSE THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO INSOMNIA. ALONG WITH MEDICATION, THERE'S ALSO NEW TECHNOLOGY. ONE DEVICE BEING DEVELOPED IN THE US COOLS THE FOREHEAD. THE FRONTAL LOBES IN THE BRAIN DON'T SWITCH OFF WELL IN INSOMNIA, SO IF YOU ACTUALLY COOL THE FOREHEAD JUST BEFORE SLEEP, SO IF YOU ACTUALLY COOL THE FOREHEAD JUST BEFORE SLEEP, IT REDUCES METABOLISM AND THE TEMPERATURE IN THE FRONTAL LOBES AND ENABLES THAT TO SWITCH OFF. IT'S EXPECTED HERE LATER THIS YEAR. ERIN WILL BE ONE OF THE FIRST TO GIVE IT A SHOT. I LIVE IN HOPE, AND I DON'T EXPECT. AND NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL IS CLOSE TO DECIDING THE FATE OF FOOTBALL FERNS COACH ANDREAS HERAF. NZF IS SET TO ANNOUNCE WHETHER IT WILL EXECUTE AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW INTO THE AUSTRIAN COACH AFTER A RAFT OF COMPLAINTS FROM PLAYERS. IT COMES AFTER MEMBERS OF THE FOOTBALL FERNS WROTE LETTERS EXPRESSING CONCERNS AROUND HERAF'S BEHAVIOUR. IT'S POSSIBLE HE'LL BE SUSPENDED IF THE INQUIRY GOES AHEAD. TO THE FIFA WORLD CUP, AND RUSSIA ARE ON THE BRINK OF MAKING THE KNOCKOUT STAGES AFTER A 3-1 WIN OVER EGYPT. ELSEWHERE, JAPAN BECAME THE FIRST ASIAN NATION TO BEAT A SOUTH-AMERICAN OPPONENT AT A WORLD CUP WITH THEIR VICTORY AGAINST COLOMBIA. THE BBC'S RICHARD CONWAY REPORTS FROM MOSCOW. (RUSSIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYS) AFTER CRUSHING SAUDI ARABIA IN THEIR OPENING GAME, RUSSIAN PRIDE AND HOPE HAS SOARED. WIN TONIGHT, AND THE HOST'S PASSAGE TOWARDS THE KNOCKOUT STAGES WOULD BE ALMOST COMPLETE. BUT EGYPT AND MO SALAH STOOD IN THE WAY, ALSO DESPERATE FOR A WIN AFTER THEIR LOSS TO URUGUAY. LOOKING FOR THE RETURN ` SALAH'S FIRST CONTRIBUTION, REALLY, IN THE WORLD CUP. IN A CAGEY FIRST HALF, CHANCES WERE RARE. SALAH ONLY JUST RECOVERED FROM INJURY; HE'S SHOULDERING THE HOPES OF HIS NATION. ON THE HALF-TURN! JUST WIDE. (GROANS) THIS EFFORT WAS THE CLOSEST HE CAME TO GIVING THEM THE LEAD. BUT IT WAS RUSSIA'S LUCK THAT CHANGED AFTER THE BREAK. ALEKSANDR GOLOVIN'S CROSS WAS ONLY PUNCHED CLEAR, AND THE BOUNCING FOLLOW-UP WAS TURNED PAST HIS OWN KEEPER, AHMED FATHI. IT TOOK A MASSIVE DEFLECTION IN THERE! IT WAS SOON TWO, AND THEN ARTEM DZYUBA'S THIRD MADE IT A GRAND TOTAL OF EIGHT GOALS FOR RUSSIA IN THEIR FIRST TWO MATCHES. (CROWD ROARS) HOW ABOUT THAT?! SALAH SCORED FROM THE SPOT, BUT EGYPT NOW LOOK LIKE THEY'RE HEADING HOME, RUSSIA ALL BUT THROUGH TO THE LAST 16. (WHISTLE TRILLS) HAND BALL ` PENALTY. IN THE DAY'S OTHER GAMES, IN GROUP H, JAPAN BEAT COLOMBIA 2-1, CARLOS SANCHEZ WITH THE FIRST RED CARD OF THE TOURNAMENT, SHINJI KAGAWA CONVERTING. 1-0 JAPAN. SENEGAL, MEANWHILE, ALSO TRIUMPHED 2-1 OVER POLAND, THEIR SECOND FROM NIANG AFTER A POOR BACK PASS AND CONFUSION IN THE POLISH DEFENCE. SHOULD ENGLAND QUALIFY FOR THE KNOCKOUT ROUND, THEY WILL MEET A TEAM FROM THIS GROUP. WHO THAT WILL BE AFTER THESE RESULTS IS STILL ANYONE'S GUESS. STAYING WITH THE WORLD CUP, AND ENGLAND'S THRILLING VICTORY OVER TUNISIA YESTERDAY WAS THE MOST-WATCHED TELEVISION PROGRAMME OF THE YEAR IN BRITAIN. IT'S ESTIMATED 18.3 MILLION PEOPLE WATCHED THE DRAMATIC 2-1 WIN. THAT NUMBER ECLIPSED THE PEAK VIEWERSHIP FOR LAST MONTH'S ROYAL WEDDING. ALTHOUGH NOT EVERYONE'S HAPPY, THE FRENCH RUGBY TEAM ARE SET TO OMIT SKIPPER MATHIEU BASTAREAUD FOR SATURDAY'S THIRD AND FINAL TEST AGAINST THE ALL BLACKS. FRANCE RETURNED TO THE TRAINING FIELD THIS MORNING WITH FRENCH MEDIA SUGGESTING THE BRUISING CENTRE WILL NOT BE A PART OF THE PLAYING SQUAD. HALFBACK MORGAN PARRA IS EXPECTED TO TAKE OVER THE CAPTAINCY FOR THE DEAD RUBBER CLASH IN DUNEDIN. THE KIWIS ARE MAKING THEMSELVES FEEL RIGHT AT HOME IN DENVER AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND'S LANDMARK TEST AGAINST ENGLAND. MICHAEL MAGUIRE'S INEXPERIENCED KIWIS SIDE HAVE WASTED NO TIME IN ACCLIMATISING TO THEIR NEW SURROUNDINGS. FORWARD JOSEPH TAPINE SAYS HE'S EAGERLY AWAITING SUNDAY'S TEST. IT MEANS A LOT. REPRESENTING MY FAMILY, MY COUNTRY, AND I JUST WANNA BRING PASSION AND... A BIT OF... ANGRINESS, I THINK. (LAUGHS) JUST A BIT OF FIERY NATURE IN ME. BUT, YEAH, I JUST WANNA PLAY HARD FOR MY COUNTRY AND GET A RESULT. THE GAME WILL BE AMERICA'S FIRST-EVER TASTE OF INTERNATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE. ENGLAND HAVE SMASHED CRICKET'S RECORD BOOKS ON THEIR WAY TO HANDING AUSTRALIA THEIR BIGGEST-EVER ODI DEFEAT IN HISTORY. JONNY BAIRSTOW AND ALEX HALES BOTH HIT CENTURIES AS ENGLAND SET A WORLD RECORD 481 RUNS. LEG SIDE. AND THAT IS THE RECORD, THE WORLD RECORD. IT'S ENGLAND. IT'S TRENT BRIDGE. AND THEY HAVE GONE PAST WHAT THEY ACHIEVED HERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. THE DAY ALSO SPECIAL FOR SKIPPER EOIN MORGAN, WHO BECAME ENGLAND'S RECORD ODI RUN-SCORER. THE MAMMOTH TOTAL STUNNED AUSTRALIA, WHO WERE LATER DISMISSED FOR 239. THE 242-RUN VICTORY ALSO BECOMES ENGLAND'S HIGHEST ODI VICTORY. CERTAINLY A DAY FOR EVERYBODY IN THAT CHANGING ROOM TO BE VERY PROUD OF THE WAY WE OPERATED, AND THE LEVEL OF INTENSITY WE BROUGHT TO THE GAME TODAY WAS ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL TO WHAT WE'VE PRODUCED IN ANY PERFORMANCE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, WHICH IS HUGELY COMMENDABLE. THE WIN ALSO PROVIDES ENGLAND AN UNASSAILABLE 3-0 LEAD IN THE FIVE-MATCH SERIES. QUEENSLAND'S NEW HOPE KALYN PONGA HAS EXPRESSED HIS ADMIRATION FOR THE RETURNING BILLY SLATER, AS THE FULLBACK WITH KIWI LINKS PREPARES FOR HIS DEBUT. THE WEATHER CLOSED IN ON THE BLUES TODAY, BUT THERE WAS LITTLE CHANCE OF THESE DARK CLOUDS RAINING ON MATT PRIOR'S ORIGIN PARADE. BIT OVER THE MOON AT THE MOMENT. ONLY JUST FOUND OUT THE NEWS, SO IT'S ONLY JUST STARTING TO SINK IN THAT I'M ACTUALLY GONNA GET THE CHANCE TO PUT ON THE BLUES JERSEY AND RUN OUT THERE ON SUNDAY, AND I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO GET OUT THERE. PRIOR WINNING OVER BRAD FIDDLER AND HIS BLUES ADVISERS, TAKING THE FRONT-ROW POSITION VACATED BY THE INJURED REGAN CAMPBELL-GILLARD. HE'S 31 AND NEVER GAVE UP HOPE. I'VE NEVER ACTUALLY JUST GIVEN UP ON IT. ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, I'VE PUT IT ON MY GOAL LIST, AND IT'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS FOR PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR YEARS. FIDDLER POSITIVE HE'LL DO A JOB AS THE BLUES TRY AND WRAP UP THE ORIGINS SERIES FOR ONLY THE SECOND TIME IN 12 YEARS. REALLY EXCITED FOR A 31-YEAR-OLD BLOKE, GETTING TO PLAY HIS FIRST GAME. I THINK HE WON'T LET ANYONE DOWN. HE'S PLAYED IN A COUPLE OF GRAND FINALS, AND HE'S PLAYING A BIG GAME, SO HE'S NOT GONNA BE OVERWHELMED. PRIOR BEATING OUT TITANS PROP RYAN JAMES. TRAINING SHIFTED TODAY FROM A SOGGY GROUND TO THE ROOSTERS BASE AT MOORE PARK. THERE WERE NO WEATHER PROBLEMS FOR THE MARONES, WHO'VE BEEN BOLSTERED BY THE RETURN OF BILLY SLATER AND THE INCLUSION OF WHIZ KID KALYN PONGA, WHO'LL BE USED TO WREAK HAVOC OFF THE BENCH. PONGA CREDITING SLATER FOR IGNITING HIS PASSION FOR RUGBY LEAGUE. HE'S BEEN THE BEST IN 10 YEARS, AND I'VE ASKED HIM AND TRIED TO PICK HIS BRAIN ALREADY, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO. THE 20-YEAR-OLD BEING TAUGHT THE BASICS IN MARONE'S CAMP BY COACH KEVIN WALTERS. IT'S JUST THE PASSION, THE PASSION THAT HE TALKS WITH. WHEN HE MENTIONS THE BOYS, IT'S AS WE'VE DISCUSSED. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` HEAVY RAIN IN SOME PLACES, FINE AND SUNNY FOR OTHERS. YOUR WEATHER DETAILS NEXT. KIWI ARTIST KIMBRA ACCOMPANIES WEDNESDAY'S WEATHER. (KIMBRA'S 'RECOVERY') THANKS FOR WATCHING. FROM THE 1 NEWS MIDDAY TEAM, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY SHRUTIKA GUNANAYAGAM AND ALEX WALKER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018