KEY POINTS:
The Kiwis will blood three debutants in the Anzac Test against Australia on Friday, with Parramatta's Krisnan Inu to start at fullback after just one NRL game and Warriors prop Sam Rapira and Broncos utility Greg Eastwood to come off the bench.
Roy Asotasi was confirmed as the
new captain, with back-up from Nathan Cayless and Tony Puletua as a leadership group. Paul Whatuira and Evarn Tuimavave are the two players omitted but they remain firmly in the frame for the future.
Other features of the team named yesterday:
* The selection of Simon Mannering and Manu Vatuvei on the left flank, with coach Brian McClennan hoping to gain from the pair's knowledge of each other's play at the Warriors;
* The re-pairing of Ben Roberts and Benji Marshall in the halves, who last played together for Australian schoolboys against the Junior Kiwis in 2003;
* Marshall's appointment as goal-kicker.
The Kangaroos kickers are sure to bomb Inu but he admitted to only slight nervousness.
"I was nervous when I came into camp but the support has been great," the 20-year-old said. A former Junior Kiwi who has played twice at fullback for New Zealand 'A', Inu is a devout and non-drinking Mormon, a laid-back character.
He was at church when Eels football manager Tony Zappia rang his mobile. Inu wondered whether he was in trouble, so the news of selection was a pleasant shock. The Eels are flying his parents to Brisbane for the game.
"I'm concentrating on settling myself down by doing well at practices, doing all the little things right so I gain confidence in myself and give the other guys confidence in me," Inu said yesterday. His first run on Suncorp Stadium will be the training run tomorrow.
McClennan reiterated his confidence in the selections.
"They are going to bomb him and he's just going to have to get in and catch them," McClennan said of the young fullback. The Kiwis had to develop fullbacks to back up Brent Webb. It would be a great test for the new boys playing on the best ground in the world, in front of a passionate crowd and against the world champs, the coach said.
If there was a bad result as in previous years the team would look after the debutants to ensure they were not shattered. But losing was not on his mind. "We are proud of what we've done for international league in recent years and we'll be doing our damndest on Friday night to keep it that way," McClennan said.
He had been considering Asotasi as captain ever since Ruben Wiki retired, because of his youth - he is 24 - and because of the extensive experience he had as a grand final and Tri-Nations winner. "The Kiwis have always had a lead-by-example captain and Roy carries that on."
When he approached Asotasi about the job prior to the Kiwis coming into camp, the Souths prop asked for time to think about it, "and I knew then that was the right thing - he came back and said he'd be honoured. Today in camp, I can see we have made the right decision. He makes the others feel good, a key when the young guys come in. He's a deep thinker, he contributes a lot of constructive comment in our team talks. He's very professional and as a player is always looking for ways to improve."
Asked if his late naming of the team was at all aimed at delaying the Kangaroos' preparation of a game plan, McLennan said: "You've got to do what you can."
Asotasi said he wanted to follow Wiki's quiet leadership-by-example role. Wiki spoke very little so, when he did, everyone took everything in.
Roosters centre Iosia Soliola came into camp yesterday after his side was beaten by Canberra. He and all the other Kiwis have passed fitness tests, with no injury concerns in the camp.
The Kangaroos have concerns over hooker Cameron Smith (knee) and bench utility Shaun Berrigan (back).
Their selectors continue to cop plenty of flak for choosing incumbent test players rather than the form players of 2007.
Former Bronco Gorden Tallis said that only three of Brisbane's six Kangaroos deserved their places - Petero Civoniceva, Justin Hodges and Darren Lockyer.
That shapes as the ready-made excuse should the Australians lose. If they do, selectors' jobs, as well as that of coach Ricky Stuart, will be on the block, no doubt.