Rugby League: Wiki goes for broke to save test place

By PETER JESSUP in Sydney

Kiwis captain Ruben Wiki's victim is backing him as he attempts to fend off a reckless tackle charge that threatens to take him out of Friday night's test against Australia.

The Cronulla club and prop Jason Stevens have supplied the Canberra Raiders with a letter backing Wiki, who will miss the test and five NRL games if he contests the charge and is found guilty.

The timing of the hearing was in doubt late yesterday as lawyers' schedules were checked - it may be tonight or tomorrow night - with Wiki to be represented by Raiders general manager Don Furner and the club's barrister.

Wiki was still listed as Kiwis captain yesterday and trained with the team at Terrigal. Coach Daniel Anderson would not reveal his thoughts on a replacement player or captain until the outcome is known.

Anderson cut David Vaealiki from the squad yesterday after learning that the Eels centre has been playing with a rib cartilage tear.

"He could play, but the quality and amount of work he does in the game might suffer," Anderson said. So Nigel Vagana is the third-choice No 1, after Karmichael Hunt voted for Australia.

The good news is that it's Vagana's favoured test spot. He played much of the 30-16 win last October there and when told yesterday of the change was excited about the prospect of running support off the big forwards.

Paul Whatuira, 22, starts at centre, his international debut after 53 NRL games. Tevita Latu, who along with Epalahame Lauaki is with the team in camp in expectation they will make the end-of-year tour to England, goes to the bench.

Robbie Paul would still play the major dummy-half role, Anderson said, happy the Bulls captain will have the ball in his hands as much as possible. He had no worries about Latu running out of puff because he would be used in short bursts.

Last night, Melbourne Storm player David Kidwell was brought into the squad as cover.

There was no despondency over the problem with Wiki yesterday, some tension relieved when second-rower Joe Galuvao was cleared of any follow-up to his high shot on Trent Barrett on Sunday.

Stevens went down after the hit from Wiki during Saturday night's win to the Sharks at Cronulla and later left the field. Apparently he states in his letter that Wiki first hit his shoulder, then slid up.

Cronulla chief executive Steve Rogers said the Raiders contacted them about the charge and he put the club in touch with Stevens.

The Raiders were contesting the charge "because we think we have a case, we'll be comparing it to others which received a lesser penalty".

Wiki will join an illustrious list if ousted - Jarrod McCracken, Stephen Kearney, John Lomax, Quentin Pongia, Ali Lauitiiti and Nathan Cayless have all been suspended out of test matches for offences committed in the NRL, something the NZRL president Selwyn Pearson continues to take issue with.

"If Joe Galuvao had been charged and copped a one-game ban he would be out of the test and then could play for Penrith on Sunday - where's the justice in that?"