League: Spare-parts man steps into breach

Kiwi Nigel Vagana still prefers his usual role of centre, but filling in at five-eighth in a league test has become almost routine now.

Vagana was at five-eighth in all five tests of the Kiwis' successful Tri-Nations campaign last year, when he partnered champion playmaker Stacey Jones in the halves.

He was in the No 6 jersey again in this year's Anzac test in May, when he also took over the captaincy after the late injury withdrawal of regular skipper Ruben Wiki.

"Yeah, I've played there for the Kiwis for a while now," he said.

"We always seem to get an injury in the No 6 and I'm thrown in, but I'm pretty comfortable about it."

Vagana said the return of Jones, who missed the Anzac test through injury, would ease his task at five-eighth.

"When you've a halfback like Stacey who can run the show by himself, it's pretty easy," he said.

"Stacey does the bulk of it. I just float off him and play little things here and there."

Vagana, who is headed for South Sydney next season after three years with Cronulla in the NRL, will be making his 34th test appearance when he runs out against Australia at Mt Smart Stadium tomorrow night.

He was sure the Kiwis would put up a stronger challenge over the course of the seven-week tournament than in their comprehensive 12-50 loss to the Kangaroos five months ago.

Vagana is not a great advocate of Anzac tests, when the Kiwis, in selecting from the NRL and the Super League, always seem to have player availability problems.

"The Australians have got all their players in Australia, but we've got ours in three countries," he said.

"I'm not a big fan of the Anzac test. I guess it's something for the administrators to work out.

"At the end of the day, this is the end of the year and both competitions are over bar the Super League grand final this weekend."

Vagana said the introduction of four new caps in the Kiwis 17 - centres Iosia Soliola and Steve Matai, lock Simon Mannering and interchange prop Adam Blair - had raised enthusiasm levels in the camp.

"It's good to be back," he said. "We've got a lot of new guys and a lot of young guys, so that's brought a lot of excitement and enthusiasm."

- NZPA