KEY POINTS:
The Kiwis and Kangaroos have assembled in camp for medicals and outfitting ahead of next Sunday's test in Wellington, with the New Zealanders confident of centre Steve Matai being available.
Matai's Manly club said he has been nursing a cartilage injury through the season and needs surgery that will put him out for three to six months.
It now looks like he will play the Cake Tin test but miss the tour to England.
The Dragons tried to dissuade teenager Chase Stanley from playing but he elected to join the Kiwis anyway after a visit from coach Gary Kemble and selector Howie Tamati, it emerged yesterday.
Former Manly fullback Darrell Williams, now one of the three Kiwis selectors who chose Matai, is unimpressed.
"The RLIF [Rugby League International Federation] needs to clarify the regulations on injured players if test football is to be taken seriously and if a player is fit for club football he should be available to play a test," Williams said.
"If he is injured he should have surgery as required, not play on. There has to be some importance placed on representing your country."
Kangaroos centre Justin Hodges has withdrawn with an ankle injury and has been replaced by Storm wing/centre Israel Folau who at 18 years, 164 days next Sunday will be the youngest Australian representative, breaking a 96-year-old record held by Charles Fraser.
The Kiwis travel to Wellington on Tuesday as do the Kangaroos, with both sides to attend a parliamentary luncheon at the Beehive on Thursday and the New Zealanders then to visit the grave of Albert Baskiville who organised the original All Golds tour, league's first.
The RLIF has finalised the 2008 World Cup details, with the opening ceremony at the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday, October 26 to be followed by a Kiwis-Kangaroos game.
Other venues are Townsville, Rockhampton, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Newcastle, Gosford, Parramatta, Penrith, Wollongong and Canberra.
The final is at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday November 22.
