League: Injury rules Sonny Bill out of GB test

10.15am - By ROBERT LOWE

LEEDS - Young rugby league prodigy Sonny Bill Williams will miss New Zealand's last Tri-Nations test against Great Britain at Hull this weekend because of a shoulder problem.

Coach Daniel Anderson said today that Williams could have played, but the decision was made to rest him as a precaution.

The injury is understood to have occurred during the Bulldogs' National Rugby League playoff campaign, which ended with victory in the grand final early last month.

Anderson said Williams had an MRI scan done last week and the New Zealand team management had spoken to Bulldog doctor Hugh Hazard, who is also the Australian doctor.

"We've given all the information to the Bulldogs and they've requested that he not play this weekend," he said.

"For his long-term future, I think it's the best decision."

The test on Saturday is a dead rubber, after Great Britain qualified to meet Australia in the final in Leeds on November 27 through their 24-12 win over the Kangaroos at the weekend.

Now 19, Williams made his test debut as an 18-year-old in the Anzac match in April and had appeared in all three of the Kiwis' Tri-Nations fixtures so far.

He was rested when New Zealand squeaked through against France 24-20 in a one-off test at Carcassonne last Thursday.

Williams said he had torn a muscle in his shoulder, but wasn't sure exactly when it happened or the extent of the injury.

He hurt the shoulder two weeks before the NRL grand final and he didn't know for certain if the present problem was related to that.

He said it would be big disappointment to miss New Zealand's last test of the year because he had yet to experience a win in Kiwi colours.

His four appearances have resulted in a draw and two losses against Australia, and a defeat to Great Britain.

"We haven't had a win on tour, except against France, and I wasn't a part of that," he said.

"I still haven't tasted victory in a Kiwi jersey. Hopefully the boys will get one this weekend."

Another of the Kiwis' 19-year-olds, halfback Thomas Leuluai, was expected to be fit to face Great Britain at KC Stadium.

Leuluai came off with a shoulder injury midway through the second half of the defeat to the Lions at Huddersfield nine days ago and he sat out the French test.

He ran with his teammates early in the training session today, but watch the latter stages from the sidelines.

"We'll monitor him as the week goes on," Anderson said.

"We're still confident he'll play in the game."

Anderson said New Zealand's elimination from the final with a match to go was a big disappointment, but the mood in the camp remained positive.

"It's a bitter pill we have to swallow, but we will, because I guess in the end it's of our own making," he said.

"But the players are training hard. They're still competitive with each other, and there's still a lot of banter and camaraderie."

Anderson said he couldn't fault their commitment so far on tour and didn't expect anything to be different this week.

"It's still a test match and it will be in the record books," he said.

"It's very important to us because we've been close in every game but haven't got the cigar."

- NZPA