League: Kiwi selectors back youthful exuberance

Benji Marshall will debut at five-eighth in the Kiwis run-on side against Australia in Brisbane on Friday and Frank Pritchard and Jerome Ropati will also get their first test caps.

Ruben Wiki captains the side at prop, despite its being his first game after a four-week suspension and it pushes him to 44 internationals, just short of Gary Freeman's record 46.

The selectors Daryl Halligan, Darrell Williams and Tony Iro have clearly gone for youthful exuberance over experience in some areas, with Pritchard and Warrior Wairangi Koopu getting starts and David Kidwell and Jason Cayless coming off the bench. Ten of the side have played eight or fewer tests.

But in Marshall and Pritchard, plus the Bulldogs' Roy Asotasi, the Kiwis sport three of the best in-form young players in the NRL, all of them repeatedly creating tries for their respective sides.

It's left to the older heads of Wiki and Paul Rauhihi up front and Nigel Vagana at the back to provide the gel on defence and attack.

Coach Daniel Anderson was unconcerned about the Australians seeing the youth and inexperience as attack points.

"There's some boys in there that are young, but we have our fair share of experience. Dene Halatau, Louis Anderson, Thomas Leuluai - these are boys that are coming into their third and fourth year in the professional game. They're not wide-eyed."

Does he expect them to test themselves and will he give Marshall a licence to bring what he does to the Tigers - the half-step in mid-air, the broken-play run? "Absolutely, it's that enthusiasm we need."

"He [Marshall] has to play his natural game. Those players that have a little bit of flair, a bit of spunk, we don't want to take that away from them."

Would the Aussies see Marshall as a pressure-point?

"Of course they will, but he's a pressure point every week. He's a big boy, there's nowhere to hide in the NRL."

Ropati is generally a five-eighth and has just a handful of games filling in at fullback but Anderson again was unconcerned.

"He's been educated at fullback. He's easily coachable and he's an exciting player."

It's understood there was a last-gasp chance for three Warriors in yesterday's game at Newcastle: Jerome Ropati had been pencilled in as fullback, dependent on his error rate, with Clinton Toopi to be back-up if he had a shocker; Toopi otherwise had to play out of his skin to force Paul Whatuira to the bench; and Lance Hohaia could have made it with a blinder against the Knights.

But as it turned out Hohaia was not dominant in the win, Toopi had a mixed game as did the team and couldn't overtake Whatuira, while Ropati played solidly to cement the No 1 jersey.

Anderson was on a plane from Sydney to Brisbane at the time and hadn't seen the game when the decisions were announced.

There is some doubt over Warrior Sione Faumuina at lock as he suffered a knee strain in yesterday's win over Newcastle.

The Australians have picked a form side that has no test debutantes, the closest thing being Panthers hooker Luke Priddis, who played internationals in Super League in 1997.

He beat halfback Craig Gower to the No 9 jersey because they wanted a specialist and test incumbent Danny Buderus who has only had the one game this season.

Bulldogs prop Mark O'Meley has played only once this season too, but his case for selection was different said coach Wayne Bennett, because O'Meley had completed a pre-season then been injured, Buderus had not.

The Kangaroos have the same backline as that which won the Tri Nations final by thrashing Great Britain and speed remains their big advantage over the Kiwis.

Bennett would not discuss the youth-versus-experience balance, but noted that all the Kangaroos had State of Origin and test experience.

"I think it's important we have that culture in the Australian team," he said.

Storm prop Alex Chan, 30, and Tigers second rower Bronson Harrison, 19, will stay in the Kiwis camp for development as will Toopi as injury cover.

* Brisbane, Friday, 9.30pm


New Zealand

Jerome Ropati
Jamaal Lolesi
Nigel Vagana
Paul Whatuira
Matt Utai
Benji Marshall
Thomas Leuluai
Paul Rauhihi
Louis Anderson
Ruben Wiki (c)
Frank Pritchard
Wairangi Koopu
Sione Faumuina

Australia

A. Minichiello
Luke Rooney
Shaun Berrigan
Willie Tonga
Matt Sing
Darren Lockyer (c)
Brett Kimmorley
Steve Price
Luke Priddis
P. Civoniceva
N. Hindmarsh
Craig Fitzgibbon
Tonie Carroll

Reserves:

New Zealand: Dene Halatau, Jason Cayless, Roy Asotasi, David Kidwell

Australia: Ben Kennedy, Craig Wing, Mark O'Meley, Jason Ryles