KEY POINTS:
Skipper Nathan Cayless expects the Kiwis rugby league selectors to be in the positive position of having some head-scratching to do during the World Cup.
New Zealand's 56-8 romp over Tonga in Auckland on Saturday reaffirmed his view that there would be plenty of competition for places during the tournament.
Cayless watched the match from the sidelines, having been one of three late withdrawals after getting a knock to a knee playing for the All Golds the previous weekend.
The move was precautionary and coach Stephen Kearney also didn't risk fullback Lance Hohaia and winger Manu Vatuvei because of minor hamstring niggles.
All three can be expected to be included when Kearney names his team for the Kiwis' cup opener against defending champions Australia in Sydney on Sunday.
Their replacements against Tonga - Adam Blair, Sam Perrett and Jason Nightingale - proved more than adequate at Mt Smart Stadium, with Nightingale chiming in with a couple of tries.
There were also strong performances off the bench from the likes of forwards Greg Eastwood and Sika Manu, the latter making his test debut.
"That's the great thing - we've got a lot of depth," Cayless said of the Kiwis' 24-strong squad.
"There's a lot of healthy competition for spots. It will keep everyone on their toes. We all have to prove each week that we want to play for our country."
After two build-up matches, one as the All Golds against New Zealand Maori, the Kiwis would get a real indication of how they are travelling when they face the Kangaroos.
Cayless relished the fact that the tournament structure meant the transtasman rivals would meet early in the event, rather than just in the later stages.
"It'll mean we are able to get a gauge on how we're going," he said.
"We're going to improve as we go, but next weekend is a big focus."
The Kangaroos will begin their cup campaign without having had any build-up fixtures, but Cayless downplayed any advantage that might give the Kiwis.
He said the Australians had many combinations that were forged in State of Origin, citing the Queensland halves pairing of skipper Darren Lockyer and Johnathan Thurston.
They also had plenty of players who were coming off the National Rugby League playoffs.
Eastwood, 21, caught the eye against the Tongans with his strong running, and he created one try for five-eighth Benji Marshall with some nifty footwork.
Another break by the Leeds-bound former Brisbane Bronco was finished off by halfback Thomas Leuluai.
Eastwood, whose three previous test caps all came last year, had gone into the match intent on justifying his place in the squad.
"I missed out on the Anzac test this year because there are some great forwards around," he said.
"Just to be picked for the World Cup is a bonus for me. Hopefully I can keep coming off the bench or even get a starting position."
He was happy with how he had gone in a contest that New Zealand dominated apart from a 10-minute patch early in the second half when Tonga mounted a brief comeback.
"I was just trying to do my stuff for the team, make busts and poke my head through the holes to help our momentum," he said.
"It was pretty good to get a few minutes out there."
- NZPA
