KEY POINTS:
The Kiwis train-on squad for the World Cup contains just two players from Super League as the huge increase in the numbers of those who are New Zealand-eligible force their way to the top in the NRL.
Only Australian-born fullback Brent Webb from Leeds and current halfback Thomas Leuluai from the 30-plus Kiwi-eligible players in England and France make the list of 49 cup possibles. This must be trimmed to 24 by game time.
There are nine Warriors including rookies Sonny Fai and Ben Matulino who, no doubt, do have a future at this level at some stage. The others from the Auckland club are Evarn Tuimavave, one of 16 players of the 49 yet to make his debut, plus test regulars Lance Hohaia, Manu Vatuvei, Jerome Ropati, Nathan Fien, Simon Mannering and Sam Rapira.
Also named is wayward star Sonny Bill Williams but a black line will be drawn through his name the day he plays rugby union in competition. He will then be ineligible for registration as a league player.
The World Cup opens when the Kiwis play Australia in Sydney on October 26 and their other pool games are against Papua New Guinea on the Gold Coast on November 1 and England at Newcastle on November 8. The top three finishers from Pool 1 and the top team from Pools 2 and 3 make the quarter-finals.
Pool 1: Australia, New Zealand, England, Papua New Guinea; Pool 2: France, Fiji, Scotland; Pool 3: Tonga, Samoa, Ireland.
WORLD CUP SQUADS
Kiwis train-on squad: Fraser Anderson (Cronulla), Roy Asotasi (South Sydney), Adam Blair (Melbourne), Nathan Cayless (Parramatta), Rangi Chase (St George Illawarra), Anthony Cherrington (Sydney Roosters), Greg Eastwood (Brisbane), David Fa'alogo (South Sydney), Sonny Fai (Warriors), Nathan Fien (Warriors), Dene Halatau (Wests Tigers), Bronson Harrison (Wests Tigers), Weller Hauraki (Parramatta), Lance Hohaia (Warriors), Krisnan Inu (Parramatta), Masada Iosefa (Penrith), Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Sydney Roosters),
David Kidwell (South Sydney), Thomas Leuluai (Wigan), Jeff Lima (Melbourne), Issac Luke (South Sydney), Simon Mannering (Warriors), Sika Manu (Melbourne), Manase Manuokafoa (South Sydney), Benji Marshall (Wests Tigers), Steve Matai (Manly), Ben Matulino (Warriors), Fuifui Moimoi (Parramatta), Jason Nightingale (St George Illawarra), Eddie Paea (South Sydney), Sam Perrett (Sydney Roosters), Frank Pritchard (Penrith),
Sam Rapira (Warriors), Ben Roberts (Bulldogs), Jerome Ropati (Warriors), Setaimata Sa (Sydney Roosters), Jeremy Smith (Melbourne), Iosia Soliola (Sydney Roosters), Chase Stanley (St George Illawarra), Fetuli Talanoa (South Sydney), Taulima Tautai (Parramatta), Lee Te Maari (Bulldogs), Ben Te'o (Wests Tigers), Taniela Tuiaki (Wests Tigers), Evarn Tuimavave (Vodafone Warriors), Manu Vatuvei (Warriors), Cooper Vuna (Newcastle), Brent Webb (Leeds), Sonny Bill Williams (Bulldogs) * Subject to eligibility and availability.
Kangaroos train-on squad: Braith Anasta, Greg Bird, Danny Buderus, Petero Civoniceva, Matt Cooper, Ben Creagh, Michael Crocker, Cooper Cronk, Ben Cross, Robbie Farah, Craig Fitzgibbon, Israel Folau, Paul Gallen,
Kurt Gidley, Jarryd Hayne, Justin Hodges, Ryan Hoffman, Karmichael Hunt, Greg Inglis, Michael Jennings, Dallas Johnson, Brent Kite, Anthony Laffranchi, Darren Lockyer, Willie Mason, Joel Monaghan, Nate Myles, Luke O'Donnell, Josh Perry, Justin Poore, Steve Price, Scott Prince, Anthony Quinn, Steve Simpson, Billy Slater, Cameron Smith,
Brett Stewart, Glenn Stewart, Brent Tate, Sam Thaiday, Johnathan Thurston, Anthony Tupou, Anthony Watmough, Carl Webb, Brett White, Craig Wing.
