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NZ Squad named

Orca

Juniors
Messages
2,197
My team:

1. Lance Hohaia
2. Jason Nightingale/Sam Perrett
3. Iosia Soliola
4. Jerome Ropati
5. Manu Vatuvei
6. Benji Marshall (capt)
7. Nathan Fien
8. Roy Asotasi
9. Issac Luke
10. Adam Blair
11. David Fa'alogo
12. Simon Mannering
13. Jeremy Smith

14. Greg Eastwood
15. Jeff Lima
16. Frank Pritchard
17. Bronson Harrison

Another very interesting thing that Kearney could do is that he puts Mannering at centre and put Pritchard on the run on side with Soliola as an impact player off the bench filling in at centre/back row.
 
Messages
3,625
Nightingale's a bit of a surprise... I was expecting Tuiaki to be selected - though not sure what his eligibility status is right now?
 
Messages
17,821
Good versatile side...a few playmakers in Marshall, Fien and Luke.

Nightingale and Perrett can also play fullback.
 
Messages
11,463
I would have put Matai in there for his defensive presence. Still though i like the team but still think we will lose convincingly
 

Phillips

Referee
Messages
24,063
no Moimoi? joke.

how does Soliola keep making rep sides.. although i spose he actually plays better when he has the kiwis jersey on instead of an easts one.
 

taste2taste

Bench
Messages
2,923
Not the side i would have had.I would have had Roberts instead of Fein, Roberts plays with the unpredictability we need to beat Australia. If we play a safe structured game we'll get belted, Slater wont be gifting us any try's this time.also Moimoi or Packer instead of Lima and surely we have some better back rowers than Harrison.
 

roopy

Referee
Messages
27,980
Junior Sau must be under some consideration.
He has had a great start to the season, although he is carrying a sternum injury.
 

GB!

Juniors
Messages
1,222
how the hell did matai miss out over the nevilles they picked?

pretty sure junior sau has pledged to aust
 

roopy

Referee
Messages
27,980
Pretty Sure Junior Sau Has Pledged To Aust


<h1>packer And Matulino Too Young: Endacott
Tony Smith, The Press
21/04/2009 2:30:21 Pm


Former Kiwis Coach Frank Endacott Has Cautioned Against Rushing A Couple Of Young Warriors Into The Anzac Test Arena.

He Says Forwards Russell Packer, 19, And Ben Matulino, 20, Have "future Kiwi Written All Over Them" But They Should Be Left To Consolidate Their Nrl Club Careers.

Packer Has Made An Impact Off The Interchange Bench And Matulino, Since Returning From Injury, Has Confirmed The Promise He Showed In His Rookie 2008.

But Endacott Said The Pair Were Still "a Couple Of Years Behind" Clubmate Sam Rapira, 22, Who He Rates As One Of The Form Props In The Nrl.

"i Think Sam Rapira Is Going To Be The Cornerstone Of The Warriors And Kiwis Packs For Many Years To Come."

Endacott Believes Nathan Cayless Should Be Retained As Kiwis Captain, But He Favours Bringing Former Skipper Roy Asotasi Back Into The Front Row. Endacott Said The Veteran Kiwi Had Shown Tremendous Leadership Ability At Last Year's World Cup.

He Sees Jeremy Smith, "who Is Going Real Well For The Dragons", As A Potential Kiwis Captain. "he's A World-class Loose Forward Who's Tough And Uncompromising And Was My Man Of The Match In The World Cup Final."

South Sydney's Eddy Pettybourne Could Be A New Face In The Backrow If The Christchurch-born Sydney-raised Rabbitoh Pledges His Test Allegiance To New Zealand.

Endacott Said Warriors Rock Simon Mannering, South Sydney's David Fa'alogo And Bronson Harrison, Now At The Canberra Raiders, Would Also Back Up From The World Cup Squad.

But Another Rabbitoh David Kidwell "who's Been A Really Good Player For The Kiwis" Would Miss Out Because Kiwis Coach Stephen Kearney "will Be Looking At Some Younger Ones This Year".

South Sydney's Issac Luke Or Dene Halatau (wests Tigers) Are Potential Hookers.

Endacott Likes The Versatility Of Christchurch-raised Rooster Seitamata Sa, "who Can Play Centre Or In The Backrow And Would Be Ideal On The [interchange] Bench." The Former Warriors And Wigan Coach Felt There Was Also Decent Depth In The Backline. He Expects Warrior Nathan Fien To Retain His Place At Scrum-half Despite Uncertainty Over His Club Future.

Wests Tigers And Australian Test Coach Tim Sheens Has Been Playing Benji Marshall At Scrum-half But Endacott Felt The Kiwis Should Use Him At Stand-off. "the Seven [scrum-half] And Six [stand-off] Do Very Similar Roles But It Will Depend On Whether [kearney] Wants Benji At First Receiver Or Second. I Think Benji Is The Sort Of Bloke That Things Happen Off And He Might Be Better In That Second Receiver Role."

Warriors Centre Jerome Ropati Would Again Be Part Of Kearney's Calculations Despite A Quiet Game Against Newcastle. But Endacott Had Reservations About Manly's Steve Matai Because Of His Recurrent Neck And Shoulder Injury Problems. He Felt Parramatta's Krisnan Inu Or Sa Were Alternatives At Centre But Said Rooster Iosioa Soliola Still Needed "to Step Up To The Mark Over The Next Week Or So" To Clinch Selection while Newcastle's Promising Junior Sau Needed "a Little More Time".

Warrior Manu Vatuvei Was "a Certainty" For One Wing Position And Endacott Felt Inu, Roosters Pair Sam Perrett And Shaun Kenny-dowall, And Jason Nightingale (dragons) Could Be Contenders For The Opposite Flank Berth.
The Fullback Duel Should Be Between Warriors Stalwart Lance Hohaia Or Perrett, Endacott Said.
</h1>
 

roopy

Referee
Messages
27,980
is sau from newcastle?

if so he wants to play for NSW & aust
He's not from Newcastle.
Samoan heritage.
Born in NZ.
Raised in Brisbane and a Qlder for SOO.
Came through the grades at Canberra.
In his second year at Newcastle after being dropped by Canberra.
 

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