Perrett the wing man in hard call for Kearney

Kiwis rugby league coach Stephen Kearney says leaving in-form wing Sam Perrett out of the starting team for the Four Nations opener against England in Wellington on Saturday was one of the toughest selection decisions of his three-year coaching tenure.
It was always going to be the most difficult call, but Kearney plumped for Jason Nightingale ahead of Perrett on the right wing when naming his starting 13 yesterday.
Nightingale was simply unable to be left out after starring for the Dragons in their charge to the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership, including a two-try haul in the grand final win against Perrett's Roosters.
"I really have to say, it was one of the most difficult decisions in my time as the coach, in terms of the quality of the player that I'm leaving out," said Kearney, who was swayed by Nightingale's past three performances.
"Against the Wests Tigers in the [NRL] prelim semi, if he doesn't come up with some of the plays that he did that night, I don't know if St George go through to the grand final.
"I thought he was close to one of the best on the park on grand final day and again he showed [in last Saturday's 50-6 win against Samoa at Auckland] what he's capable of, so it was a width of a hair between both of them."
Kearney said Perrett, also one of the form wingers of the NRL, had every right to be disappointed, "but he's a great individual, he's a team man and he took it very well".
It is perhaps an indication of the depth at Kearney's disposal compared with last year's Four Nations, when injuries meant he had to blood four players who had spent most of 2009 in the under-20s.
There are several positional swaps and personnel changes to the team that beat Samoa 50-6 at Auckland last Saturday.
Simon Mannering will start in the second row with Frank Pritchard moving to the bench, Kearney saying it was always his intention to start Mannering against England after the reliable Warriors captain had been restricted by illness in the leadup to the Samoa match.
Pritchard can be a threat with ball in hand and Kearney was certain he would feature strongly off the bench.
The other changes to the starting team come at halfback and hooker.
Nathan Fien starts at halfback with Thomas Leuluai switched to run on at hooker, while Issac Luke, who began the Samoa match at hooker, has been relegated to the bench.
Forward Frank-Paul Nuuausala returns as part of a 19-man squad that will be trimmed to 17.
With captain Benji Marshall and Fien in the halves, Leuluai at hooker and Luke on the bench, Kearney will field a combination first used at the 2008 World Cup and again utilised during last year's Four Nations.
The coach sees Fien, who plays primarily at dummy half for NRL champions St George, and Leuluai, a halfback for Super League champions Wigan, as interchangeable, while Luke has an important role to play off the bench.
"He has a running game which we know can cause a lot of teams damage and from that perspective I think he'll certainly be an asset coming off the bench."
The Kiwis were in a relaxed mood as they completed an opposed session against the Junior Kiwis yesterday. NZPA