Several Australian players have been laid low by a virus, forcing the cancellation of the team’s Wednesday training session ahead of Saturday’s Four Nations rugby league tournament final in Wellington.

As many as five Kangaroos players have been quarantined as team officials strive to ensure a fully fit team for the decider against New Zealand at Westpac Stadium.

It is the third time the team has been affected by illness during the four-week end-of-season tournament.

Greg Inglis couldn’t return after halftime in Australia’s first week loss to the Kiwis in Brisbane and coach Tim Sheens was struck down in the lead-up to the win over England in Melbourne two weeks ago.

Kangaroos back-rower Greg Bird said the situation was a concern but the players affected should be right by Saturday.

“I think there are about four or five blokes (affected) this morning,” Bird told Sky Sports Radio on Wednesday.

Bird said Beau Scott was unlikely to return from a hamstring injury suffered against England and Sheens has indicated he will play the same 17 in the final as the one which easily disposed of Samoa in Wollongong on Sunday.

“He’s (Sheens) been on edge a little bit in the last couple of weeks, under the pump losing the first game,” Bird said.

“We’re in the final now and he can settle down and focus at the job at hand.”

Australia were comprehensively beaten 30-12 by New Zealand three weeks ago when both Inglis and Daly Cherry-Evans were unable to return after halftime.

That was the first outing for a new-look Kangaroos side who were beaten well in the middle third of the field.

With two games under their belt since then Bird believed the Kangaroos were now a far more formidable side, but expected New Zealand to attempt to continue their brutal forward dominance on Saturday.

“They were quite successful at it really,” he said.

“We’ve got to play smarter, I think. Just more control. A little bit more fluent with the ball – it was a little erratic in game one.

“The combinations have been thought out a little bit better now and hopefully we can get a win.”