KEY POINTS:
Five players will make their debut for the Kiwis against Australia in Wellington next Sunday after new coach Gary Kemble named his first 17 yesterday.
Former Tongan representatives Taniala Tuiaki and Fuifui Moimoi are two of them, Kemble saying he had no doubt their allegiance lay with the
black and white jersey.
The Tigers' Tuiaki is on the left wing, the right goes to another newcomer, Luke Covell, from the Sharks, a good contrast. The former has speed and power in attack, the latter is a solid defender and ace goal-kicker.
The other two new boys are both Jeremy Smiths, the Christchurch-bred Melbourne lock and the Huntly-bred Souths halfback. All five have been in or around the NRL for several years and will know everyone they run out against. Shontayne Hape off the bench is the only player from Super League.
He has come from the playoffs in England and 14 of the others featured in NRL finals, only Covell and Penrith second-rower Frank Pritchard missing end-of-season games.
Kemble has put players in their preferred positions: Warriors centre Simon Mannering into the second row, Tigers utility Dene Halatau at lock and Eels wing Krisnan Inu at fullback.
It's a strong and talented team which probably has more pace than other recent Kiwis' sides. They are form selections.
Kemble had his first full day of team meetings and trainings yesterday and said the players had responded well to his game plans after he laid out his thinking.
"It's a matter of getting the combinations right," the coach said yesterday afternoon as the squad ran at Cornwall Park. He was confident they would - the bulk of the team has come from high-pressure finals' games.
Kemble is banking on the Bulldogs five-eighth Ben Roberts and Huntly's Jeremy Smith to make the six and seven jerseys theirs for the foreseeable future. Smith had big boots to fill. "He's taken up the challenge, he wants to see the pride in the No 7 jersey carry on after Stacey Jones."
He wanted Roberts to use his big boot to win them territory so they played at the right end of the field. Inu also had a long kick.
Kemble said all had passed medicals including Manly centre Steve Matai who has a long-term shoulder injury so he was not expecting any late withdrawals.
The coach knows about half the squad from former coaching roles with the Warriors and Junior Kiwis and has made use of that background to ease in with those unfamiliar to him. "It's given confidence to the others as to how we work. It was vital that happened." There had always been a family spirit in the Kiwis. "Bluey [Brian McClennan] did a great job there. The Kiwi family has been added to with some new guys and we want to carry that on."
The Kangaroos lock Paul Gallen has withdrawn with a shoulder problem, with the Storm's Dallas Johnson to take his place and Manly secondrower Anthony Watmough named as 18th man.
The All Golds game on October 21 in England is approaching a sell-out, with New Zealanders who have lost interest in the rugby swelling sales.
Five players have been added to the Kiwis tour party for the tests against Great Britain and France: Souths secondrower David Kidwell, Wigan halfback Thomas Leuluai, Warriors bench player Epalahame Lauaki, Broncos utility Greg Eastwood and Roosters fullback Sam Perrett. They join the 19 who were in camp ahead of the Australia game, with Warriors backrower Louis Anderson and Dragons centre Chase Stanley the two of that group not playing next Sunday.
Steve Ganson has been appointed referee.