League: Hunt still on to lure young stars to Kiwis

Sonny Bill Williams, Karmichael Hunt and Benji Marshall in a Kiwis team who regularly beat Australia - such is the New Zealand Rugby League's vision for the game internationally.

There is still hope that Hunt, the Broncos' boom fullback, will choose to pull on a black-and-white jersey instead of the maroon of Queensland and the green and gold of Australia.

As was the case last year, he will be sounded out before the Anzac test on April 22.

The Australian Rugby League insists that players selected for the State of Origin are also available for the Kangaroos. International rules state that a test player cannot change countries without standing down for two seasons.

Williams has already played twice for New Zealand, but Marshall and Hunt have yet to pull on a test jersey and both could play for either Australia or New Zealand.

The pair have played age-group football for Queensland and Australia.

Marshall has always said he wants to play for the Kiwis and has expressed his disappointment that Hunt does not.

Hunt's parents apparently share that regret.

The NZRL will push the case for the heat to be taken off players such as Hunt and Marshall by allowing them to play State of Origin and for the country of their birth.

Oddly, the NRL shares the NZRL's ideal-world vision. The Australian bosses were in Auckland for the Warriors-Manly game last weekend and made no secret of the fact that they would like Hunt to choose the Kiwis.

And they would like to see Williams able to play for New South Wales.

NZRL chairman Selwyn Pearson says fans have a right to see the best players take the field in Origin.

"Qualification for State of Origin should be playing in the Australian competition - why shouldn't we see Adrian Morley [Great Britain] in Origin?"

New Zealand officials will not badger Hunt, but Pearson questions why the Queenslanders are promising him an Origin jersey. They have Rhys Wesser, Matt Bowen, Clinton Schifcofske and Billy Slater available,

* Prop Ruben Wiki says the Brisbane Broncos will lose little even if Kangaroo frontrower Petero Civoniceva fails to take the field against the Warriors tonight, NZPA reports.

Civoniceva is doubtful for the NRL clash in Brisbane after receiving a knee injury in the Broncos' 29-16 win over North Queensland last weekend.

Secondrower Dane Carlaw, who is returning from shoulder injury, is on stand-by to take Civoniceva's place.

Wiki had been preparing this week to meet the Australian test propping pair of Civoniceva and Shane Webcke at Suncorp Stadium.

He last fronted up against them as Kiwi skipper in the Tri-Nations tests in Auckland and London last October.

But he said the Broncos' depth meant the Warriors faced a tough battle no matter who Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett put on the field.

"Civoniceva lays the platform with Webcke, but Dane Carlaw is no slouch," he said. "They have a star-studded side. Whoever gets on will do the damage."

Wiki was looking forward to coming up against bench forward Brad Thorn again after Thorn's stint in rugby union.

Thorn's return to the NRL last weekend was marked by 14 hit-ups for 128 metres.

 

RISING STARS

KARMICHAEL HUNT

Born: November 17, 1986, Auckland.

Junior club: Avondale Wolves/Souths Acacia Ridge.

186cm, 86kg fullback.

Debut: v Warriors R1 2004.

27 games for the Broncos.

BENJI MARSHALL

Born: February 25, 1985, Whakatane.

Junior club: Keebra Park, Gold Coast.

181cm, 83kg halfback.

Debut: v Newcastle R20 2003.

11 games for Wests Tigers.

Shoulder reconstruction 2004.

SONNY BILL WILLIAMS

Born: August 3, 1985, Auckland.

Junior club: Marist.

191cm, 102kg lock/secondrower.

Debut: R1 2004.

16 games for the Bulldogs.

Four tests for the Kiwis 2004.