SYDNEY - A torn hamstring has stymied Greg Eastwood's hopes of a Kiwis debut as his name was yesterday added to the list of National Rugby League players unavailable for the test against Great Britain next week.
The dynamic utility player, 19, was ruled out by Brisbane Broncos medical staff
after suffering a hamstring tear during last Friday's 18-16 loss to St George Illawarra.
It meant at least a week on the sidelines for the former Manurewa junior, and Broncos staff did not want him risked for the match next Wednesday in St Helens.
"He's pretty devastated by it all but he realises there'll be other opportunities for him," Broncos media manager Tony Durkin said.
A member of last year's Junior Kiwis, Eastwood stormed into contention for next week's match with a two-try performance against the Warriors a fortnight ago.
He was set to leave for England today with the blessing of Broncos coach Wayne Bennett.
"He was looking forward to playing and excited that the club had let him go," Durkin said.
It means Kiwis coach Brian McClennan's squad has already been trimmed from 22 to 19, nearly all British-based players.
Parramatta and Sydney City both blocked the release of prop Fuifui Moimoi and centre Iosia Soliola respectively, saying the absence of their regular first graders would be too disruptive.
Melbourne have released forward David Kidwell, who will leave for England on Saturday after playing in his side's NRL match against the Bulldogs the previous night.
Young reserve grade Bulldogs halfback, Ben Roberts, is to join the Kiwis this week, and the Warriors have released centre Clinton Toopi.
McClennan and his coaching team left for England yesterday.
New Zealand Rugby League general manager Peter Cordtz said McClennan had accepted the absence of Moimoi and Soliola.
"We're not going to persevere with it; Brian's just carrying on his planning for the match," Cordtz said.
Claims by Sydney City and Parramatta that the NZRL made a pre-season promise not to select regular NRL first graders were not quite accurate, Cordtz said.
"We always said the majority of the team would come from Super League clubs and we tried to select NRL players where it would cause the least disruption.
"Fuifui, for example, wouldn't have missed an NRL game. His team have the bye this weekend and we would have had him back in Sydney by next Thursday."
McClennan will assess his squad, including the fitness of star playmaker Stacey Jones, before choosing the playing 17 later this week.
* The Dragons have fined lock Shaun Timmins an undisclosed amount following his arrest for being a public nuisance in Brisbane on the weekend.
Timmins was handcuffed and arrested by police in the early hours of Saturday after commandeering a street-sweeping machine. The former Australian international is due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on July 4 over the incident.
* Cronulla utility and Kiwis international Nigel Vagana has signed a two-year deal with South Sydney.
Vagana, 31, a veteran of 198 NRL first-grade games as well as 32 tests for the Kiwis, will join the Rabbitohs at the end of the present season.
"He is the current Kiwis test captain and his experience and leadership will be invaluable for our young backline," Souths chief executive Shane Richardson said.
- NZPA
Greg Eastwood was to have left for England today. Picture / Getty Images
SYDNEY - A torn hamstring has stymied Greg Eastwood's hopes of a Kiwis debut as his name was yesterday added to the list of National Rugby League players unavailable for the test against Great Britain next week.
The dynamic utility player, 19, was ruled out by Brisbane Broncos medical staff
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