Rugby League: Quiet kid has a chance to scream

By PETER JESSUP

Thomas Leuluai is a ball-runner in the mould of his famous father but as yet it's not an attribute he has shown much light in his appearances in the NRL.

He needs to threaten the Kangaroo line - at least to put some doubt in their minds that he might take the line on - in the test at North Harbour Stadium tomorrow to add to the Kiwis' game plan.

Leuluai is a quiet kid, 18 years four months old, who has had his head down in camp this week not just because of a bout of diaorrhea but also in deference to the big names around him.

He is genuinely in awe of guys such as Ruben Wiki and Nigel Vagana, veteran Kiwis he watched on TV from his early days in the game and in a South Auckland household steeped in the game.

He firmly believed long-term half Robbie Paul would be brought back from Bradford to play halfback and that he was a fill-in, just a matter of time until he was dismissed.

Until Monday, when it became clear Bradford would not release Paul from the Super League grand final.

He has the same low-down power off the mark and acceleration over a short distance that his dad did. But maybe not the stretch-out speed to finish because he is a deal shorter.

What he needs to do tomorrow is take the gap and wait for back-up or back up the forwards taking the gap then give the ball again to a pace runner such as Vagana or Henry Fa'afili, or to Motu Tony from the back maybe.

His Kiwis and Warriors coach, Daniel Anderson, has already given the young halfback/five-eighth a talking-to about bringing some of the spirit and initiative he produced for the Eastern Tornadoes side his father coaches to the NRL.

And now the Kiwis. Leuluai will go back to his preferred position of halfback against Australia. He was never going to get the No 7 jersey while Stacey Jones had it.

He was a surprise selection, a risk some might say. But then that comes down to him. They said the same about Dennis Williams when he became New Zealand's youngest test player, at 18 years and one day, making his debut at five-eighth against Great Britain and carrying on to become a star.

When the Warriors were knocked out of the NRL finals, Leuluai became available for the Junior Kiwis and was selected to play the second game of the visit from Australia's Schoolboys side. The JK's won 12-8 in Porirua on the weekend of the grand final and Leuluai enjoyed getting back with his mates, running a lot more with the ball, playing opponents more his size and scoring a try.

It gave him a big boost in confidence, he said this week as he prepared for the test.

"I know I have to pick myself up. Since I got into the NRL I've always thought about going for it [line breaks]. I'm just trying to learn when to go. It was good to get back with my mates, run with the ball a bit more."

He has had a lot of specialist video work and skills training on the field from former Kiwi five-eighth Tony Kemp, Anderson's assistant at the Warriors and Kiwis, and that was emphasised again this week.

Leuluai will be charged with taking most of the field kicks. Kemp has been instructing him where to place them and when.

James has been backs adviser since Anderson got the Kiwis job before the July test.

Thomas said his father always had plenty to say to him when he was running out with the Tornadoes, but had not said overly much ahead of the test.

James admitted he was surprised at his son's rapid rise to international level. He put that down to two years working in the Warriors' development programme. He had noticed the improvement in his son's game this season and rated his NRL appearances as "solid".

"With a bit more confidence he'll take the line on more, he'll show more of what he can do."

James also thought the run with the Junior Kiwis - taking charge of the game and testing the opposition with his running - would be a big help.

"It's taken him a while to get into the NRL," James said. "But he feels confidence in the coaching staff, they're helping him and picking him up and he'll get into it."

He nods. "He'll be all right," nodding again. "He'll do well."