Puletua to train on Wednesday
Second rower Tony Puletua is the only injury concern in the Kiwis rugby league camp after training in Auckland on Tuesday.
The big second rower sat out training for the second straight day with an ankle injury, ahead of Saturday's Tri Series opener against the Kangaroos at North Harbour Stadium.
The rest of the Kiwis squad trained without incident.
Coach Daniel Anderson says Puletua is definitely not in doubt for Saturday's test and he will be ready to train on Wednesday afternoon.
Anderson is concerned at the level of intensity his side is working at.
Anderson says he wants to see the players up the level of aggression and precision currently on display.
He says they will throw in some defensive pads at tomorrow's training as well as checking the timing of their passes when they meet the defensive line.
Meanwhile it looks like Sonny Bill Williams has added a new string to his bow.
Williams spent some of the training session knocking over drop kicks from 45 metres out.
Daniel Anderson says he did not see it and says he will be a bit skeptical until he has witnessed it with his own eyes.
But Anderson says he might have a quiet chat to Williams about being the man to go to for a field goal in the test
The Kangaroos fly into Auckland on Thursday night.
The Australians are balking at letting a New Zealand referee control their upcoming tests against Great Britain.
All three countries have been looking at using neutral refs in the upcoming Tri Series, starting this Saturday with Englishman Russell Smith.
New Zealander Glen Black has been given the OK by Great Britain for their matches with the Kangaroos.
However NZRL referees boss Ian MacIntosh says the Australians will not budge.
He says the Aussies do not rate Black, even though he has controlled several recent UK Superleague matches.
MacIntosh says they feel Black is not up to test match standard, which New Zealand contests.
MacIntosh says Black is going to the UK no matter what, although the Aussies still want to look at him before agreeing.
He says Australia has requested Black control the curtain raiser at North Harbour Stadium this weekend, so they can take a closer look at him.
MacIntosh says if the Aussies do not want to use him, then Glen Black will referee the first Kiwis v Great Britain test, with a Brit taking control of the second.
